By Melissa Antoinette Garza
BEYOND THE GATES (2016) is an IFC Midnight film that is currently available for rental on Amazon’s streaming service. Typically, IFC does well with the films they produce. I saw the trailer for this movie and was immediately taken in. It reminded me of a 1980s horror short from the film NIGHTMARES (1983).
BEYOND THE GATES follows two brothers in their late 20s, who have traveled much different paths. Though they love each other, the relationship is a strained one. John (Chase Williamson) remained in his home town. He’s a fun guy, but is still trying to find himself. Essentially homeless after a relationship ended, he hangs around at bars and his father’s video rental store, but doesn’t do much else.
His brother Gordon (Graham Skipper), on the other hand, owns a home, makes good money and lives miles away with his longtime girlfriend Margot (Brea Grant). The couple comes to town after Gordon and John’s alcoholic father disappears. It wasn’t abnormal for him to vanish, but now the old man has been gone 7 months and the brothers believe he’s most likely dead. Their mother had died years ago in a car wreck and though Gordon wasn’t as close with his dad, John accepted the negative aspects of his dad’s behavior and loved him regardless. John holds onto hope that his father may be alive somewhere.
Still the two men decide it’s time to close their father’s video store. They begin packing things away and though the two try to connect, most of the conversation is awkward and forced. Gordon finds a key to his father’s office and as an attempt to connect to John asks if he wants to goes inside and see what’s back there.
It is in the office that they find a 1980s VHS game called Beyond the Gates. John, Gordon and Margot decide to play. They throw the tape in and expect something silly. Instead the trio becomes shocked when the woman on the screen (Barbara Crampton) says they can save their father. It is quite obvious she’s talking to them as her eyes follow their every move and she responds to the questions they ask.
Panicked they call an officer who is Gordon’s longtime friend. When the cop comes over, they’re shocked when he doesn’t see anything on the screen. They clearly see the woman, but she doesn’t appear to anyone not playing the game. The cop leaves thinking they’re a bit off their rocker, but suffers a strange immediate side-effect.
Frightened by the game, the brothers are desperate to find out more. After finding a receipt, they visit the small antique store where their father purchased the game. The odd and slightly emo storekeeper strongly suggests they resume the game. While Gordon gets heated about the ambiguous answers, John sees a knife that is similar to the one shown in Beyond the Gates and steals it.
They start playing the game again and slowly, Gordon and John reconnect. They become intent on winning the game and freeing their father. They face the past demons and the demons within the game.
This was one of the best recent horror films I’ve seen. In the TV spot they refer to it as “hilarious.” I didn’t get that. It has funny moments, but this is not SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004). This is a straight-up horror film that has the vibe of the 80s but a modern Creepypasta style to it.
The acting is fantastic. I love films where a family lost themselves along the way and have to go through something dramatic to find their way back. This movie combines that element with my favorite genre. Together it delivers a brilliant, well-thought out production that is heartfelt, interesting and action packed from beginning to end.
I can’t suggest this enough. I spent $6.99 to rent it and intend to buy the Blu-ray. If you want to watch the trailer first, I suggest rather than Amazon, watch it off IMDB.com as they include a cool throwback commercial, which I assume was the concept trailer.
Lastly, BEYOND THE GATES has so much potential to be a PHANTASM (1979) like franchise. There are so many routes to go and if provided a larger budget, there are realms within the game that could be expanded into something even more magnificent.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8.5/10 – A MUST SEE HORROR FILM
