Caveat - Die Warnung

This film is a descent into madness and horror as it unravels a mystery surrounding a decades old murder. Things don't add up starting immediately from the very first scene in the film. Something scary is happening but you just can't figure out what it is. That's what you feel like through the entire movie. Something unravels in the mystery that is the main plot and it connects to another mystery.

This film is terrifying on so many levels. I won't give away any spoilers but one thing is certain and that is, is that murder is afoot.

7/10. Worth the watch, but you better not watch this one alone in the dark!

This is the story of Isaac , who is enlisted by a shady stranger Barrett , to look after his psychologically disturbed niece Olga in a decrepit house on a deserted rural island following her father's recent suicide. The question is - has he been there before?

Not being a horror movie fan , I have to give writer and director Damian Mc Carthy credit for what it a entertainingly creepy movie.

The setting is the star of this show . The house on an island with a chain coming from the cellar. The peeling wallpaper and secret passageways. Why anyone would would agree to stay there , especially if they had been there before , Is beyond me but that's horror films for you .

The viewer is left with lots of questions.

What is the rabbit all about ?

What was the accident?

Is Mother dead?

87 minutes is a good running time for a horror film as the cliches don't outstay their welcome.

A decent first time attempt from a debut director.

If you can overlook the implausibility of the premise and don't question the logic of the individual characters, Caveat is a successful chamber drama with a clear focus on atmosphere.

The pacing is a bit bumpy in between and the film's stance on the paranormal is not entirely clear, but I'm happy to overlook that because I found the nightmarish pull of the story very fascinating.

Especially in a scene towards the end I really got goosebumps, which (unfortunately) is really rare for me.

First off I relish watching any Irish horror film being from Dublin and a big horror buff I'm always on the look out for a great Irish horror film and there have been at least a couple. I really wanted to love this film after seeing the great trailer and poster. Top marks for the trailer and poster. This film had my full and undivided attention up to the first hour passing and unfortunately it really began to lose me thereafter. I really wondered why that was. I think the story is gaining momentum for the first hour, it's really well shot, it sounds great and the story is original but when it boils down to it the characters in the film were quite difficult to really relate to and emphathize with. I didn't care what happened to the main character in the latter moments of the film and the suspense had vanished. 'Caveat' feels like a great idea for a short film that was then used for a feature film instead. It feels very long and a bit repetitive after a short period of time. I wasn't interested in any of the characters and I think that's the film's downside. There wasn't any bad acting or anything like that I just didn't feel anything for any of those characters. Maybe such a small cast also added to my feelings of disinterest. The ending in particular felt very weak, there was no pay off at the end at all. Great photography, great sound design but uninteresting characters, a muddled narrative, very light on any horror of any kind. I really wanted to love it but the last half an hour lost me completely. There is certainly real talent behind this film in particular behind the lense but it won't be a rewatch for me. 5/10

Considering this is the director's first outting, this film is pretty remarkable. On just a shoe-string budget, the film manages some great cinematography, set design, performances, and a few genuine chills. Unfortunately, where the movie falters is in the writing. The plot has far too many holes, and the character's make constant, border-line incomprehensible decisions. If you can turn off your critical thinking for a majority of the film, and just appreciate it for it's atmospheric tension, you'll find there are some really promising and enjoyable moments/ideas strewn throughout.

Considering how over-run the horror genre is with terrible cash grabs, it's always exciting to see a director who is clearly talented and has their own unique voice and vision; even if the end result is a bit messy. Can't wait to see what the director does next!