The Apostate

As some of us know, "apostasy" or "an apostate" is a recognisable phrase that dates all the way back and means "somebody who has lost their faith" either in religion or in a cause etc.Throughout the centuries this has taken many different forms and I think it's safe to say that Director/Producer Andy Dodd has set a new tone for its meaning.

The story follows Lance, who wakes up in a 'rest-room' with no idea of who he is or how he got there. Flash-forward to a police interview room where inspector Andrews is interviewing him, trying to 'coax' out the truth.

This is when the movie takes a completely different twist than what you would expect out of an indie film of this ilk. The truths that come out during the course of the movie will shock you. This movie not only f**ks with your mind psychologically making you do double takes and shake your head in a mixture of disbelief and disgust while saying to yourself "You gotta be kidding me...really?!" but it also hits you right afterward with a good dose of blood and gore.

Why not a 10 you ask? Well that's mainly because to see a 10 usually sets off the alarms that a review has been submitted biased. Me, I enjoyed this film from beginning to end, as I love my psychologically disturbing films just as much as I love my torture gore movies...and the Apostate delivers a blissful combination of both. I am an opinionated curmudgeon, and ALWAYS have something negative to say about where an indie horror flick could have tightened up this or that, but at the end, every end was tied up, the conclusion was satisfying "now I know why Lance was in that damn room!" -it was easily the best indie horror film I have seen in the past few years. Zero budget - great inventiveness. Some of the digital effects were not great, but the practical effects looked real enough. It could do with a 'trim' at the beginning.

Jay Bryhan who plays Lance deserves a standing ovation and a projectile vomit or two for the fantastic performances he gives, which make the film as genuine as it is.

First of all - this movie isn't going to win any Oscars. Let's get that out of the way. Secondly, it won't get a BAFTA for production design. If you haven't got any cash and you want to make a movie, what do you do? Well, you do what Andy Dodd did. Make one anyway. You don't need a lot of money to make something that keeps people intrigued.

Man wakes up. Man doesn't know who or where he is. Man needs to find out. That's the idea. Jay Bryhan, who plays the 'man', plays him with a lot of gusto and effort, even if he feels a little 'forced' occasionally. The story is told in flashbacks and to's and fro's between a police interview and the man trying to make sense of his surroundings. It's intriguing. It MAKES you want to know what the heel has happened. AND nothing prepares you for the second half of the film - I just didn't see it coming.

The Apostate is a low budget movie. But a pretty darn good film. I don't understand why this isn't on VOD or something - maybe that's to come.

Bravo.

The Apostate turns out to be a powerful, disturbing, thoughtful and thought-provoking study of psychopathic behaviour. The film is highlighted by the fantastic performances of both leads, James Bryhan and Terri Dwyer. The realism and authenticity of both actors deserve some sort of award.It's a brilliant solo performance from Bryhan who convinces utterly as the amnesiac victim of some brutal attacker. Andy Dodd is one of those magnificent film makers who brought Dwyer and Bryhan together and made, for me, absolute movie magic.

The Apostate proved to be a well-crafted film that more than repaid the time I spent watching

"Was Lance telling the truth?" is all I could think of when the movie ended. The Apostate takes you through a maze of craziness you'll be having flashbacks about the flashbacks for weeks afterward. Each turn takes the viewer down a different path. I questioned the mind of the writer when Lance eats somebody's stomach for dinner! What kind of sick depraved mind could come up with this stuff? The characters were believable, the gore was disgusting and this viewer was left wishing she'd gotten a "vomit bag" before the movie - oh the 'eye'! My 2 daughters are HUGE horror fans and they loved it. She has a collection of horror films so I know she must be just as sick as Andy Dodd who Directed and wrote this multi-layered horror film. It's too bad this isn't being released generally. Clever and slow-burning.

it looks like summit have found a new Ramirez for the Highlander remake, rumoured to be unknown actor James Bryhan. It appears that Tom Cruise has not agreed to taking part has he has other commitments. Bryhan a talented actor and I had the pleasure of watching award winner Andy Dodds The Apostate where he and co-star ,Terri Dwyer gave a fantastic performance which if you get the chance SEE IT!! YOU WON'T BE Disappointed!! It's more thriller than horror, but boy when those gruesome scenes hit, they hit HARD!! Bryhan has made appearances in Red 2, Peaky Blinders and starred in award winner Andy do dd's thriller/horror The Apostate with holly oaks Terri Dwyer.