THE SIREN is a deeply engrossing tale about the tragedy of love, co-dependency and addition. This is the second feature from Director Perry Blackshear who proves here that you can make a stunning film with a solid story, fantastic cast and a limited budget.
Inspired by the legend of The Rusalka, Blackshear has crafted a microscale creature feature taking time and effort to create something very special. Romantic and whimsical, Blackshear harnesses his unique aestetic to wrap his audience in a tragic love story that, at times, taps into its horror elements and executes them very effectively.
The cast are fantastic. As the "titular monster" Margaret Ying Drake is superb. Her performance as Nina is equal bits charming, dark and strangely sweet. Starring opposite her is Evan Doumouchel as Tom who appears as the catalyst for change. Handling his role with the right amount of charm and faith, Doumouchel not only stands his own but his presence is very much welcomed. Together, there is no denying the chemistry between the leads as this shines brightly like a lamp across a dimly lit lake. It's really beautiful to watch.
Rounding up the cast is MacLeod Andrews who plays Al, a man who is searching for his husband's killer. In the film, his character quickly forms a friendship with Tom but it's not long before he soon starts to suspect Nina is responsible for his husbands death. In the role Andrews nails each emotional beat of his character with precision.
Although this film is clearly not for everyone, I was blown away with what the team have brought to the table. As a film, it made me smile, it broke my heart... It was an emotional rollercoaster and it has me excited for what Blackshear comes up with next!
