The Deeper You Dig

Family business - I watched this at a screening at Frightfest and the three main characters involved in this were attending. They are also a family and they really have a knack for making movies. It's father, mother and daughter and the movie might strain their relationship, but it doesn't show in life, they really were cheerful and joyful.

The movie is the opposite and is quite dark. It is also very low budget, so you have to wrap your head around that. If you can, there is an underground/B-movie to discover here, with quite the supernatural touch attached to it ... Slow burning and really well made

I don't know much about the background of this movie, but I know it was made on location by an actual family, probably with a budget of next to nothing. In spite of that, this movie is gorgeously lensed. The supernatural sequences have the twisty, extradimensional, mechanical cadaver feel of Tarsem or of a late 90s Marilyn Manson video, and the disorienting special effects are done with a sleight-of-hand (digital or practical, I'm not sure) that's seamless and very impressive. The non-supernatural sequences are likewise artfully crafted, with the camera often functioning as a ghostly voyeur. The setting is immersive, with richly contrasted color. There's a crisp, almost monochrome color palette of white snow against black night, with a touch of resonant blue and a splash of red thrown in for good measure. The cinematography here is not to be missed.

The acting is fine, and the characterization is well-developed. Toby Poser as the grieving mother is especially good, effectively conveying a realistically complex and moving portrait of someone's who's simultaneously certain of her pessimistic convictions yet desperately hopeful that she will be proven wrong. The film also subtly portrays her grappling with her own disillusionment and cynicism, regretting the ways in which she has turned her gifts into a selfish, hollow racket. A scene in which she communicates with a double of herself is perhaps the high point of the film.

Unfortunately, this theme is only vaguely fleshed out, given some additional background by a former protege who has the artistic misfortune of being portrayed by a stereotypical magical negro, all gleaming teeth and sinister laughter. The borderline offensive tropiness here is the only deliberate wrong step the film takes, but the story as a whole could have also been a little more "deeply" developed.

Overall, this a very solid, engaging horror film with stylistic flair that's all the more impressive given the tiny budget. The movie never overstays its welcome, and horror aficionados will find it well worth their time.

At least show some original thought. As for the movie: good plot, good acting, great cinematography, all on a low budget. It's not a barn-burner and don't expect it to jump-scare you. It is horror I suppose, but it could also be considered psychological thriller. All in all, a very watchable movie.

In my humble opinion, the first half of the film was very enjoyable. But it disappoints as it comes in for a very bumpy landing. I'll give the first half an 8 and the second half a 2. And that averages out to a 5, if my math is correct.

I am not an Indie fan... really. All too often just being amateur and low budget is used to give a movie a pass, and I don't agree with that logic. All too often being Indie just means bad and getting praised despite it, but every so often... well, when you have talent, and vision, you can make a good (or even great) movie on a shoestring.

I am also not generous with praise, so when I give this movie a 7 that is high praise in my books... especially considering the budget and limited experience involved. The Deeper You Dig isn't perfect, but it is solid. Solid (and at times even elevated) acting, effective and quite professional cinematography, editing, and directing, effective score and professional sound, and a genuine script that has vision and is believably compelling. The works.

That said, I will not guarantee it will be a movie for every person. It has a supernatural element that I found welcome but which was handled a bit crudely, and this alone will likely put some people off. It was in fact the reason I didn't give the movie an 8... and I even considered giving it a 6 (which is still a good movie in my judgement). Also, it really is more of a drama about loss and mourning, guilt, will, love, faith, and other elements, than it is a horror, so people who tune in to see explicit horror will likely find it unfulfilling. But IF you want a well made dramatic horror which is both sincere and has heart, AND is competently crafted on a budget, then I strongly recommend The Deeper You Dig.