The Black String

Hail to producer, writer, director Brian Hanson for 'The Black String'! Wow, this was much creepier than anticipated. The film plays like a nightmare. It is weird at times, but effectively so. The make-up is very good as well s the visuals and practical effects.

Frankie Muniz is incredibly good as Jonathan. He completely sold the story - and his dilemma - to me, and I believed his agony and horror. This is a uniquely different horror film. Some scenes are grotesque, while others are simply nail biting suspense.

There are horror movies where you really have to suspend your disbelief - way more than with others that is. Especially I reckon for fans of Muniz, who know him from something completely different. Sometimes it is quite tough to imagine a certain person as something else.

Also I reckon because of that or generally will not buy into the character he's portraying. But if you can overcome all these obstacles, there is some "fun" to be had. There is enough tension and there is ambiguity and enough horror plus thrill to keep this going til the end ...

The Black String It was not just one of the best independent films I've seen, but a very well done film of any kind.

Congratulations to producer-director-writer Brian Hanson and producer-writer-actor Richard Handley for their very impressive film

Frankie Muniz (Agent Cody Banks, Malcolm in the Middle) gave an excellent performance in the lead role. Chelsea Edmundson and Mary K DeVault were also very good in two of the larger supporting roles.

This could have been a real B-dud, but a good script, a capable director and crew with talented, believable actors really pulled it off! With minimal sets, props or special effects, this is a truly suspenseful thriller from beginning to end. Frankie delivers a solid, sympathetic persona as Jonathan, dragging the audience with him as he desperately fights to find solutions to increasingly insurmountable circumstances. We are completely drawn into this story as it unfolds. I had low expectations to start, having been disappointed many times with other "thrillers," but was very pleasantly surprised by this edge-of-your-seat thriller. I really hope we'll see much more of Frankie Munizin future films, because he's really exhibited his award-winning talent here. I was rooting for Jonathan all the way, from beginning to the very end. Not a typical horror movie, thank goodness, although not a good choice for young children. I found it quite entertaining and worth my time. Grab some popcorn, sit back and enjoy!

I love movies that keep you guessing between possible narratives, and The Black String delivered without being overwrought or pretentious. Just fun characters, a well-paced story and a great balance of scares, suspense, and a few laughs.

There are no deep dives into character backgrounds, but it's not necessary. Everyone is likable or spooky enough to keep the plot moving. Muniz is a sympathetic protagonist, and you are pretty quickly sucked into his world. A few little hints at past events are adequate to add some depth. The bad guys are sufficiently menacing and the clerk buddy is good comic relief.

This film is a welcome respite from horror films that are trying too hard to win gold medals for suspense, gore, zeitgeist or twists. It's a worthy entry in the genre that the writers and director can be proud of and fans will enjoy.