On the trail of a missing girl, an ex-cop
comes across a secretive group attempting to summon a terrifying supernatural
entity.
Director: David Prior
Cast: James Badge Dale, Marin Ireland, Stephen Root, Ron Canada, Robert Aramayo, Joel
Courtney, Sasha Frolova
Release Date: October 22, 2020
Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror
Rated R for violence, disturbing images,
language, some sexuality and nudity
Runtime: 2 h 17 min
Review:
The Empty Man is surprisingly
engaging horror film that echoes The Ring with dashes of A Nightmare on Elm Street. David Prior
lets his film’s mystery unfurl organically allowing it to slowly wrap you into
the central mystery. There are a few
tantalizing hints dropped here and there to keep you engaged. Thankfully this horror film doesn’t rely on
cheap jump scares with only a handful used for maximum effect. As the twist and turns reveal themselves and
the characters make for a fun watch.
James Badge Dale leads the film, initially stoic but he loosens up as
the film moves along. As the audience’s
proxy he’s a believable and likable lead even with the film’s dark tone. The rest of the cast is made up of
recognizable character actors and fresh faces which let the story be the
central focus. It’s to the film’s
benefit that the mystery is good fun and it’s wrapped up in a solid and
satisfying way. This film marks the
final 20th Century Fox release after the Disney merger. The Empty Man has been quietly released
during the current pandemic with little to no fanfare, it’s a shame since it’s
a well made film that will likely become a hidden gem once it hits VOD and
Bluray.
B
