Beyond the Gates

Retro horror 'Beyond the Gates' continues the fun trend of 80's throwbacks with just about everything you'd expect: synth score, neon-heavy visuals, and practical gore effects.

It's about two brothers who find a VHS board game in their missing father's video store. When played, the real world and a nightmarish dimension collide, forcing the brothers to complete some blood-spattered objectives in order to free their father's soul trapped in the game.

Unfortunately, as awesome as that premise sounds, the board game isn't as well utilised as it could have been; nor are it's concepts explored thoroughly or explained. The film also features typically implausible horror movie behaviour as the game supernaturally alters to fit the players' lives and otherworldly things just happen to push the story onwards.

But despite that shortcoming, this is still an enjoyable homage to 80's gorefests, with enough character development to forgive the plot's slow and teasing unfurling, some delightfully grisly violence, and a cracking score that bolsters its aesthetic.

6/10

Okay, not for the youngsters that are used to see horrors from nowadays. This one is just a throwback to the horrors of the early eighties and the late seventies. Not to be classified under slasher.

That said some will leave this for what it is but for the old geeks it is still hard to watch it and I don't mean it in part of gore but it has a lot of talking going on especially in the beginning what makes it hard to watch and not to use the fast forward (no pun intended). It's towards the end like in those flicks from back then that the real horror comes in. I must say that some effects are ridiculously funny, not intended. Some do reveal that the head being smashed is a puppet. But others are well done too.

The story wasn't my thing and I had problems with all the talking but knowing that it is a low budget I can dig it somehow. Nice to see Barbara Crampton (Re animator) back.

Gore 1/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 2/5 Story 1,5/5 Comedy 0/5

Two estranged brothers, Gordon (Graham Skipper) and John (Chase Williamson), reunite to liquidate the assets of their missing father's video store. As they sort out the contents of the shop, the brothers discover a strange old VHS board game—Beyond the Gates—that seems to have some connection with their dad's disappearance. Together with Gordon's girlfriend Margot (Brea Grant), they pop the game's tape into the player and are greeted by a mysterious woman (scream queen Barbara Crampton) who guides them through the horror that ensues.

Take the basic premise of Jumanji and give it a horror twist, and what you have is Beyond the Gates, except that Jumanji was, and still is, a whole lot of fun (despite some horribly dated CGI effects), whereas Beyond the Gates is a crushing bore for most of its running time, with long periods where absolutely nothing of interest occurs (the first 45 minutes are a real test of patience). About the only things the film has in its favour are a few decent gore effects (best being an exploding cranium), a cool synth score, and Grant's impressive rack (the actress wears a tight vest but fails to do a Crampton, keeping those puppies under wraps).

To get it out of the way - i rated the movie a 4/10 for being pretty forgettable.

But that does not mean i do not appreciate some things it tried to do. It does however fall with its totally and utterly ridiculous story; a story that is so silly that it most probably is intentional. In short - the story feels like one of those cheap books that tells you to keep on reading on a certain page once you made a decision or like an amateurish table-top-rpg - all along with actors that both underact and overact. (kind of like many roleplayers i feel) Then there are the character archetypes that are so flat and one dimensional... they do not have a sliver of personality about them; and of course a story that lacks any logic.

Once you get that out of the way - you can start to appreciate some neat details though. There is a certain 90s vibe going on, which is dismissed by the rather modern still shots in many scenes. There is some 90s colouring and scenes - and then again more modern ones.

There is what feels like a certain homage to Lynch movies (curio shop owner and camera works in that shop) and some raw, low budget slasher core movies.

The tone of the movie itself is almost somber with extreme gore sprinkled in (that mostly looks deliciously fake) The dialogue consists of meaningless one liners for the most part - and the actors hardly act scene-appropriate.

But the movie actually was kind of funny to watch - utterly forgettable but fun - in all its cheesiness. And sometimes one wants to watch some cheese i guess.

However - i cannot recommend it. Maybe as part of a horror video night with friends (and alcohol...) There are "gems" in the movie that certain people may love and appreciate though. It has a very narrow target audience. (i am not it) But if you are - you may well very much enjoy it.

Horror movies are my favorite movies. My wife gets tired of me suggesting them. So it had been a week or so and we decided to give Beyond the Gates a spin.

I understand some of the negative reviews. The pace of the first half is a little slow, but the character development and plot are still interesting enough. The acting can be wooden at times, sure. The 80's feel to modern day is somewhat puzzling, but since it's all about a video store, forgivable.

The two requirements I have for horror movies is that they have to at least be a little scary and they have to be fun. This movie succeeds at both.

The actress who plays the host for Beyond the Gates knocks it out of the park. Her performance is one I won't soon forget - creepy and diabolical.

The overall feel of the movie reminded both my wife and I of the recent Creepy Pasta adaptation Channel Zero: Candle Cove which was just about the same level of scary and fun.

Give this one a go, it's worth a watch for sure.