Nothing Left to Fear

This is probably a film would make a passable 'first horror' film for a teenager ... however as a thirty something I found it dull, facile and utterly boring. If you like a film with some sort of pace - this is certainly not the film for you. It's a shame as the cast seems promising and the premise is actually quite interesting. The main issue this film has is it is sloooooow to the point of being a cure for insomnia. I'm assuming the idea was to give the viewer plenty of 'getting to know you' room with the characters so we really really care about them, get invested in them. Yeah -that doesn't happen here. All that happens is you find yourself watching the clock waiting to see how long it is before it ends. Adding to that is lacklustre cinematography, dull scripts and painful to watch teen led drama and all in all this film is a fail.

Okay, I realize this movie isn't the best ever made or anything, but I really don't understand all the negative reviews. Just don't watch it with too many expectations. If you want an action packed thriller, you're gonna be disappointed. If you want a bloody slasher, you're going to be disappointed. If you want edge-of-your-seat suspense, shocking jump scares, and a stellar plot line, you're gonna be disappointed. If you just want to watch a fun horror flick with a decent story line, moderately scary scenes, and an overall suspenseful feel, you'll probably like this one. I agree, this movie definitely starts slow. But if you give yourself a chance to get into the mood, watch clear to the end, and enjoy it for what it is, it's really not bad. Like I said, just enjoy it for what it is, and you probably won't be too disappointed.

The film's faults are clear in other reviews. Slow-to-no-action pacing with major plot-points left unexplained. Why didn't they start with the legend of Stull, Kansas? Surely one of the kids would have done what I'll have to do - Google the place to find out... With limited character development, piddling special effects, and few decent scares, the film squanders an interesting premise. There's one good aspect which led me to give it a kind 5 rating: Ethan Peck (Gregory Peck's grandson with grandpa's macho steely manner) and the two gals, Rebekah Brandes and Jennifer Stone - 28, 29, and 21 at filming thus pseudo-teens - are attractive young folk. Let's wish them better luck in their future flicks.

Another typical Hollywood horror B-movie. This one riffs on the likes of CHILDREN OF THE CORN and THE WICKER MAN in the tale of a small town hiding a dark secret. A new and boring family move into the community, where they're soon assailed by mysterious events and characters harbouring dark secrets.

It's a long-winded and slow-paced story and one that doesn't offer up a whole lot of interest, it has to be said. NOTHING LEFT TO FEAR actually does better when focusing on the non-horror elements like characterisation and character interaction and falls down when it comes to the cheesy horror scenes, augmented with CGI ghostly faces as they are. It also relies too much on jump scares and clichéd, derivative moments for effect when really it should be offering something new.

The cast aren't too bad, although they are given little enough to work with. Anne Heche is unrecognisable from her early Hollywood roles in the likes of SIX DAYS, SEVEN NIGHTS; she plays the suburban mother here. Rebekah Brandes isn't too bad either, although as with Alexandra Daddario in Texas CHAINSAW 3D, she's given little to do other than wander around in a skin-tight t-shirt. Clancy Brown is the best thing in it, but he doesn't have enough screen time.

This an okay movie. Good if you need to kill a couple of hours. However, the plot line is bizarre. You are left wondering why they do the things they do. The story does not set you up with any background on the town, and why the townspeople are so weird. Also, they say this is based on events and urban legends surrounding Stull, KS. They missed the mark, and then over exaggerated it. This storyline has nothing to do with anything that has ever happened in Stull, KS. Also, Stull, KS had two strange murders years ago, and is barely a town. It is unincorporated. There is an old church and cemetery where they say satanic rituals are performed, and a few houses, and a few other buildings.

Regarding the real Stull and the old church - for reasons unknown to anyone including the land owner, someone tore down the old tiny brick church a few years ago. It is a pile of rubble. However, there is still a staircase underneath the ground, that leads down to no-where. They say that is a gateway to hell and you will feel a powerful pull if you start down the stairs, and lose all track of time (like weeks). And people who have camped near the cemetery have reported seriously bizarre stuff and sounds. There is nothing like the real Stull legends in the movie.

Regarding the movie, the children/young adult actors in this movie dominate the film, and if it weren't for them, it would be pretty robotic and dull. Heche was not into this movie at all, it seemed like she felt obligated to be there.

Bottomline -- it's definitely more bizarre than scary, so watch it if you are bored and you have seen every other scary flick with a higher rating.