The Dead Thing

This year’s Fantasia International Film Festival guests were able to take part in the world premier screening of The Dead Thing film. The film is helmed by Elric Kane (Kissy Kissy, Murmurs) who is the co-writer with Webb Wilcoxen (The Frontier). Apart from the men, it features a woman named Alex, who is addicted to dating apps and one-night stands. However, when she comes across a man who appears to be more than perfect, it leads them into the perverse world of lust, obsession and violence.

The Dead Thing has a feeling that will truly touch the audience. It provides an access to one of the aspects in Alex’s life that she probably camouflages from the rest of the people. The same thing happens day in and day out: work, sleep, light therapy and causal encounters that invariably end up as one night stands. It creates the uneasy reality that Alex is in a kind of ‘zombie’ state, doing the same things on repeat gradually loosening up to the idea that she will feel again. Until, she meets Kyle. It seems these two were destined for each other — they were on the same emotional and sexual wavelength. Of course, this was a brief time and no matter how they appear to themselves, all of them will have repercussions. What’s fascinating about this story is that horror in this case finds itself playing as a representation of abusive relationships. One way or another, any relationship in this story will have an initial stage of love-bombing. However, soon the distortions in this perception give rise to an era of jealousy that ultimately gives way to obsession, control, and violence. The points raised in the story are interesting and therefore the book ‘The Dead Thing’ has a good plot. However, the dead thing atassi book has its own weaknesses in terms of the pace and pressure in some places too. Sometimes the action is either too slow that the viewer has the impression that the film is longer than intended, and when the end comes it is rather flat rather than the appropriate build up one would have expected.

I had some longbuilding and also some ambitions like you mentioned in the previous paragraph with which I was hopeful that it could have been much more helpful in providing engaging mythical aspects that could be harnessed. Irrespective of all these shortcomings, there is no taller order than this somehow there should be no argument that some captivating insights were sacrificed over frustration of mankind and the business of fear.

The Dead Thing features a great cast. Blu Hunt (The New Mutants, Another Life) stars as Alex. She seems particularly fascinating with how she captures moments where Alex is completely resigned to everything and does not care about anything. There is an obvious shift in Alex’s character after she develops romantic feelings for Kyle. Alex is somebody who has depression but one does not even need to elaborate on this in order to bring it out in the story. Ben Smith-Petersen (Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) plays Kyle. What Smith-Petersen does very well is show two extremes in Kyle’s character. At first he is charming and caring, but eventually that light-heartedness disappears, and the audience gets to see a more dark, possessive and obsessive part of him. Hunt and Smith-Petersen have what only can be described as electric chemistry, even through the screen, during which the passion shared between the two characters as well as the perils comes scarily alive.

Any grounded story can always be enhanced with The Dead Thing adding some visually pleasing, if not excessive, elements. Right from the first scenes, Alex’s wardrobe registers and enhances the character’s aura of coolness. It is the only thing in her life that looks to be coordinated. While the apartment she shares with her best friend is fairly nice, Alex’s room decoration is another story. The room appears to be that of a fresh male occupant who two years has just moved in, and not an adult female occupant who has stayed there for two years. The only sign of Alex putting her own personality in the room is a board with her sketches shoved in the tissues. Fortunately, the motion picture capitalizes on the fact that Alex loves art to some extent because the audience has an idea of this fact through her artworks. And even in The Dead Thing, the horror imagery is tasteful and straightforward. Ordinary cuts and bruises used as practical effects make up the special effects, together with the more dramatic and graphic elements such as clockwork violence by an unseen assailant. Such visuals are all purposeful in showing parts of the characters, help in injecting horror into already suspenseful scenes.

The Dead Thing is a clever and chilling movie, which in reality, attempts to address the issue of despair and abusive relationships through the use of horror. Kane and Wilcoxen have successfully produced a remarkable film that many would agree remains with. Even with the pacing issues experienced in this piece, I do appreciate the directional choices made as the story unfolds. Hunt and Smith-Petersen are additionally blazing onscreen and the romantic tension they share only augments the film’s attractions. For those who love horror genres and use horror images to enhance dramatically involving relationship plots, The Dead Thing is a must-see.

The Dead Thing is a subtle, contemplative film that focuses on very human themes of depression and abusive relationships through the lens of horror. A pretty gripping film from Kane and Wilcoxen, it no doubt will resonate with many. Even with the pacing issues experienced in this piece, I do appreciate the directional choices made as the story unfolds. Hunt and Smith-Petersen are additionally blazing onscreen and the romantic tension they share only augments the film’s attractions. For those who appreciate the horror-relationship drama to be woven with thriller strands then The Dead Thing is for you.

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