Raccoon Valley

The level of creativity and technical skill required to make a short film this creepy and suspenseful on just $175 is astounding.

RACCOON VALLEY held my interest, made me nervous, and a couple of times, outright scared me -- not with jump scares, but with long, something-really-bad-is-going-to-happen scenes that skillfully ramp up anxiety and pull you to the edge of your seat cushion. Often, but not always, these scenes let you down easy while maintaining an inescapable sense of dread.

The lead actress, Terri Czapkeski, her face an expressionless mask, carries the film in spite of the dramatic limits inherent in her approach. She somehow conveys that her character feels fear without melodramatic mugging for the camera.

The idea of a lone, vulnerable, deaf female protagonist battling mortal danger isn't new. HUSH (2016) skillfully used the same device to drive its plot, but it hasn't been done to death, and hasn't been done exactly this way.

Overall, a very nice effort. On a $175 budget, a masterpiece.

Not a bad movie should have been longer. With more action in it I seen similar movies like this there's is some thing some people probably missed I didn't see it the first time watching it I may wach this again to see if I missed any thing.

Going into this you must be aware that the guy who wrote and did almost everything on it from tea boy to director only cost a total of $175 and review it as such.

It does not have zombie hordes or explosions and mass CGI but has a haunting atmosphere, rather subtle music and a very different way of attacking a movie making project and this is what it is and should be reviewed as such.

So yes, it is more of a movie project and less of a film but it does well with what little he had in his wallet and shows what can be done with a very little amount of cash and has to be congratulated for the end result. There will not be many who will appreciate it in this day and age of mass CGI and multi million pound blockbusters and if you are expecting this then you probably will not appreciate or enjoy this film, but hey give it a try and think try to appreciate what could be produced with $175 in your pocket.

Slow burn with correct atmosphere and mood for an apocalyptic event, but a Racoon is smarter than the main character. Very good attempt though for $175 budget.

Budget was just about nothing. But it was very high quality. I wouldn't watch it again only because part of the entertainment was anticipating what would happen and why. There's no exciting action because it's about how the protagonist is dealing with what's happening. The only reason why I gave it a 5 was because it was too slow and was not a full story in my opinion. But I could see a fuller and longer revamp (if with the same writer, director etc) being rated much higher.