Phil Herman's Unearthed

Heading through the woods, a mysterious undertaker produces a book filled with horrific, unnatural stories.

The Good Stor(ies): The Ties That Bind-Worried about her friend, a woman sets out to find what happened to her which brings several detectives investigating her to come face to face with a previous case of theirs. This was a fairly solid and enjoyable effort that feels slightly at odds in a setup like this. The main setup here is incredibly intriguing and comes together nicely as a fine mystery involving the connection between the missing person case and his older case that starts to match everything together. The family dynamics at play with the story involving how he starts noticing these connections and tries not to use them to upset his family once again is a fun touch, and the mystery is a rather fun one to see unravel. Its suspense/thriller approach might make it feel at odds with more of the macabre and fantastic segments elsewhere here, and the slack pacing makes for an odd opening introduction to the film but there's still a lot to like here.

Look Towards the Sky-Finally finding their missing friend, a woman and her father-in-law slowly come to believe the alien abduction stories about his disappearance might be true. This was a fairly fun and enjoyably cheesy segment. The idea of the family members arguing over the true nature of the abduction and getting hints that it's real with the story he tells about how he disappeared and what happened to him while under their abduction which includes a graphic retelling of the procedures performed on him. This brings about some intriguing reveals as the truth about what's going on and how they plan to carry it out features some great effects and tense moments to bring to life which makes for a generally fun time. Some of the speeches and different conversations that are featured here do go on a bit longer than expected but it's not that detrimental of an issue.

Highway Rivalry-Thinking her husband is dead, a woman tries to leave the scene and hitches a ride with a stranger leaving the city which brings about some unexpected encounters. This was a fun enough way to end things. The main setup involving the killer's reign of terror in the area and the inability to catch him sets up a great universe where it's hard to pinpoint who's going to be revealed as the culprit, especially with several great fake-outs involving potential targets giving themselves the perfect opportunity to be revealed as such only for the opposite to be the case. The stalking scenes here are fun enough and provide some gruesome effects that make for a generally fun time. The reveals manage to hit on both fronts with some surprising twists packed into this that are somewhat surprising but some of it also needs a bit more exposition to make sense as it's somewhat convenient for it all to play out, but it's not nearly enough to hold this one back overall.

The Bad Stor(ies): Clean House-Terrified for her baby, a pregnant woman tries to use whatever means she can to bless her haunted house before its impending birth forcing a priest to take extreme measures to accomplish it. This was a pretty solid segment if a bit difficult to get a handle on. The overall idea is solid enough with the hints of the house being haunted slowly giving way to the real purpose behind the ghostly figure being there that brings about some frantic moments and great make-up work. However, it's the fact that this one is silent for the most part that makes it incredibly difficult to get a handle on what's going on as relying on the actions taken here fills you in on the basics but leaves out the details. How it started, what's doing it, and why it continues are all glossed over without explanation as the gimmick keeps it hidden for long stretches so it can feel like the first part of a much grander story without context.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Language, and Nudity.

Unearthed is a masterfully crafted anthology of terror, weaving four distinct, spine-chilling tales into a cohesive narrative tied to the haunting framework of Doomsday Stories. Each story stands out: Derek Braasch's The Ties That Bind offers a taut thriller with shocking twists; Will Devokees' Look Towards the Sky delivers a chilling alien abduction tale with stunning effects; Marcelo Fabani's Clean House explores supernatural horror with atmospheric depth; and Highway Rivalry by James Panetta and Phil Herman provides a relentless, twist-filled ride. With top-notch production and a blend of suspense, psychological depth, and unexpected turns, Unearthed is a must-watch for horror fans.

Phil Herman has built a reputation for delivering quirky, often inventive indie horror films, but Unearthed stands out as one of his best works to date. This anthology showcases his growth as a filmmaker, offering a unique blend of spine-chilling moments, strong performances, and impressive visuals-all while keeping things grounded in a style that horror fans can easily latch onto. With its diverse segments, Unearthed manages to maintain a high level of consistency, proving Herman's ability to weave a cohesive experience across multiple storylines.

The standout feature of Unearthed is undoubtedly the wraparound segment, which introduces viewers to Christopher Kahler's character, "Doom." Kahler delivers a mesmerizing performance that immediately draws you in, and honestly, after watching him in action, it's easy to imagine an entire movie centred around Doom. This wraparound acts as both an anchor and a clever thread that ties the entire anthology together. The character is mysterious, compelling, and is truly a highlight of the film.

Each of the film's segments offers something fresh and intriguing. The first segment is particularly strong, benefiting from Heather Harlow's performance. She truly shines in this role, one that seems tailor-made for her talents. Her portrayal is dynamic, and she really brings depth to a character that could have easily been one-dimensional in a lesser script. The second segment is also a notable achievement-thanks to surprisingly great VFX for a low-budget indie film. It's rare to see special effects in this genre that don't feel like an afterthought, but here they're used effectively to enhance the atmosphere and terror.

The third segment deserves a mention for its bold approach. While some viewers may be put off by the subtitles, it's worth persevering. Without diving into spoilers, the story in this section is well-crafted and keeps the viewer engaged from start to finish, proving that there's still room for creativity in a genre that sometimes feels oversaturated. It's a fresh take and a great addition to the anthology.

The fourth segment is a gem, partly due to the involvement of Rudy Ledbetter, who is reading the news in the film. This little touch is pure gold-if Rudy or Clint Beaver aren't reading the news in your indie horror movie, then you're doing something wrong. Ledbetter's delivery is perfect, adding a layer of authenticity and atmosphere. And let's not forget that Phil Herman himself makes a notable appearance in this segment. As usual, he's terrific, and his commitment to his craft is evident.

A special shout-out goes to Debbie D, who makes yet another memorable appearance in a Phil Herman film. At this point, her presence in Herman's movies has become a signature, and honestly, it wouldn't feel like a true Phil Herman production without her. She's a talent that deserves more recognition, and it's always a pleasure to see her in action.

What truly sets Unearthed apart from other anthologies is its consistency. Many anthologies can have extreme highs and lows, but here, every segment is strong, with no real weak link to speak of. The acting is solid across the board, the special effects (both practical and virtual) are impressive, and the sound design is worth mentioning as well-levels are consistent throughout, which may seem like a small detail but makes a big difference in the viewing experience. I didn't find myself constantly adjusting the volume, a common annoyance in indie films.

Perhaps most impressive is the way every segment ends on a high note. In horror anthologies, it's easy for one segment to fizzle out or fail to deliver a satisfying conclusion, but Herman manages to close each story with a punch. It's a small but crucial element that elevates the entire experience and ensures that no moment is wasted.

Phil Herman's Unearthed is a must-watch for fans of the indie horror genre. It's a perfect blend of great performances, sharp direction, and compelling stories, all wrapped up in a tight, cohesive package. Whether you're a longtime fan of Herman's work or a newcomer to his style, you'll find plenty to enjoy here. If you appreciate indie horror with heart and imagination, then give Unearthed a chance-you won't regret it.

Loved all 4 stories, but I'm not a fan of subtitles so the third story was my least favorite.

Ties That Bind was my favorite with a great twist ending. Figuring out who the killer was a bit pat, but the twist ending made up for it. A woman goes camping and is suddenly attacked by someone or something off camera. The police find blood and a jump rope, that leads back to a similar murder 6 years earlier. The cop investigating is all too familiar with the previous case. His father-in-law was convicted of the murder. Ties is the longest segment on the video and could easily make an hour show on TV.

Look Towards the Sky is shot in a very moody style. A man claims to have been kidnapped by aliens. Is it true? The ending will tell you.

Clean House was interesting but contained subtitles and I'm not a fan. But the mood and setting were done well.

Highway Rivalry was well done and had an interesting twist at the end. Debbie D stars as a wife whose husband she's discovered has died. She runs from the scene and is picked up hitchhiking by a friendly guy. The story takes some really bizarre twists and has a great ending. Tina Krause has a small part as a victim of the killer. I would have liked to have seen how her part started rather than coming into it in the middle of her death scene. That's a small thing.

Overall, Unearthed was a great anthology with a lot of great twists. I highly recommend it.

I won't go much into depth with synopses, several other people have already done that.

The wrap-around part was well done as an introduction to each segment, and to start and end the film. The start is the man digging up a coffin and removing a book from a corpse's hands. The end (this isn't a spoiler) is the man returning the book to the grave. I give the wrap around 8.5 stars.

"The Ties That Bind": Nicely put together segment about a missing woman, the search for a killer, and a detective that works the case. The ending is very apropos to the rest of the story. This segment I give 8.5 stars.

"Look Towards The Sky": This one is about a man that is abducted by aliens, and makes a surprising return. This one MAY be my favourite. This segment gets 9 stars.

"Clean House": This is about a woman possessed and the priest that tries to exorcise her demons from her. The first part is done in the style of an old silent movie (which I liked). The rest has sound. It is in Spanish with English subtitles. Very well done. This one gets 8.75.

"Highway Rivalry": This is a very interesting one. It involves a hitchhiker, the man that picks her up, 2 policemen searching for a notorious murderer, and an innocent woman in a public bathroom. The reveal was WELL worth the watch. This one gets 8.75.

Everything throughout the film (acting directing. Editing, music, cinematography, storylines/plots, etc.) was GOOD.

The entire film was a great collaborative effort.

Each segment was well crafted and put together well, and with smooth timing/flow in the watching of it.

I REALLY enjoyed the film in it's entirety. Although I would TECHNICALLY only give the film in it's entirety 8.75 stars, I gave it 9, because it certainly deserves more than just 8, but IMDB doesn't "allow" partial stars.

Phil Herman never disappoints, and this one is well worth the watch.