Caveat

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.

Will you go to this sketchy and clearly dangerous place and babysit a weirdo child? Nope - FIN

A haunted house horror on Shudder. This movie was less than an hour and a half, but man it was slow and boring for the first hour and 10 minutes. It's atmospheric, but not as creepy as it intended to. I'll admit, the usage of background noise was quite effective in some scenes. Then, the horror really become significant at the end. The eyes were used to great extent that kept me on the edge.

My biggest problem was that this movie felt like testing horror and not about making a coherent story. Lots of things felt random and pointless.

Overall, the editing for horror was pretty good, but the story was nonsense. 5/10.

Sad too. Because I was really enjoying the rabbit stuff. And the harness thing. And the Memento-style whodunit aspect. But it seemed to reveal all its tricks way too early and the filmmakers didn't know what to do with the nifty elements they created, leaving a muddled, dragging and repetitive second half.

I wish it worked better.

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.

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!