By Melissa Antoinette Garza
As I too often rent absolutely awful dreck that is cleverly disguised as a horror film, I’m always happy to find something that is actually quite good.
I was looking on Amazon for recent horror entries and found RESOLUTION (2012). I had never heard of it so I watched the trailer and was impressed with what I saw. This is the first movie in quite a while that my brother, husband and I all enjoyed.
The film starts with good friend and recently married Michael (Peter Cilella) essentially kidnapping his best friend Chris (Vinny Curran) to stop him from using drugs. Michael handcuffed Chris to the cabin. Chris tries to explain to Michael that he doesn’t want rehab or to get well, but Michael refuses to give up on Chris.
Soon, they are visited by a Native American who owns the land and says it’s on a reservation. It’s revealed that Chris doesn’t live there but instead broke in to avoid being homeless. Michael pays the owner off to let them stay.
The visitors continue as two drug dealing douches show up to collect money owed by Chris. Michael scares them off with a baseball bat, but they vow to return.
As Chris goes through withdrawals, strange things begin to happen to Michael. A book shows up on their doorstep, a recording of them is shown on their computer as if someone is taping their every movement, and a strip of film shows their bodies as if they are dead and in caskets.
At first, Chris thinks that Michael is pulling some kind of practical joke to get him clean, but Michael insists it’s not him. They begin to realize that what they are seeing is actually predictions of the future.
To survive they must follow the directions provided.
This is one of the best films I’ve seen in such a long time. The pace is excellent. The film actually flies by. I was watching it when I had to get up quite early the next morning. It was after 2 AM and I couldn’t stop watching it. Usually, I’ll stop the film and continue it the next day. With this I couldn’t. I had to see the ending.
It’s such an original tale. They dynamic between the two main characters is so intense and powerful that it easily grips the audience. Despite Chris’s attitude, one must root for him to get past his drug addiction and to get over what led him to destruction. All the while hoping that this mysterious force is present to protect the duo and not lead to their demise.
The acting is topnotch. The film is well cast.
I cannot recommend this movie enough.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8/10
