Psychologically driven horror films have been a staple in the genre for decades. From The Shining to The Babadook, fright fare that peers into the dark psyche of the human mind is often more frightening than a masked killer stalking the streets. Tyler Chipman’s directorial debut attempts to bring fans a new version of the age-old troupes of anxiety, depression, and rage in The Shade.
Ryan is attempting to maintain a semblance of a normal life since his father’s suicide. Tending to his little brother while living with his working widowed mother, the distraught young man is making great strides in recovery. A great girlfriend, a steady career path following his passion, and a sensible psychiatrist, have helped heal the wounds of the past until his celebrated older brother, James, unexpectedly moves back home from college. Once James begins to unravel, Ryan is sent spiraling down a familiar dark path. Monsters, both physical and mental, begin to once again haunt the cursed family. Ryan must fight the ultimate battle inside his mind to save what is left of his family…and himself.
The Shade is a tremendously acted, well directed film that suffers from redundancy that drags during a two-hour run time. Chris Galust puts in an award-winning performance as the lead, while every cast member nails their roles. Chipman presents a fantastic looking piece by balancing dark shot selections to go along with the plot. One could watch the film without any dialogue and be able to follow the terror tale. Chipman along with writer David Purdy do struggle with the elongated script. Several sub-plots become filler with no real conclusion to why they were included, and Ryan goes from an empathetic character to borderline annoying with consistent breakdowns. Chipman adds some very good suspenseful horror specific scenes, but they are too far and in between as they get lost in the intricate plot. The Shade is a refreshing bold debut from the director, one that will have the Horror-Nation itching for more from the talented craftsmen and his superb crew. A sharper edit coupled with perhaps a bit more commercial story might be the recipe for a future horror feast that the masses will gobble up.
Scream Score: 7.8/10