Reviewed by Carol Sullivan
Genre: Horror
Rating: R
Director: Sheldon Wilson
Starring: Timothy V. Murphy, Rocky Marquette, Stan Kirsch, Lindsey Stoddart, Patty McCormack
On DVD: June 28, 2005
Studio: Screen Media
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With a surprising lack of new horror films to rent this week, I happened to grab Shallow Ground yesterday. I had remembered some rumblings about it when it was released back in 2004, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Now that I have watched it, I am torn between deciding to like it and desperately trying to wipe the question mark off of my forehead...
The movie begins as a strange boy, covered in blood, walks into a small town sheriff's office. Startling the officers on duty, this boy seems unharmed, yet will not answer their questions or speak at all. As they fear that he may have hurt someone, they wrap him in a blanket and handcuff him in a small room.
But, the tiny burg of Shallow Valley has more secrets; a history of unsolved bloody deaths and disappearances in the surrounding dense woods. When Sheriff Jack Shepard (Timothy V. Murphy) sees the boy the boy, he wonders if he could be responsible for the unsolved crimes in the area.
When the boy's fingerprints are an exact match to a dozen missing persons, the mystery deepens. And more importantly; where is all the blood coming from? It flows freely from the boy's eyes and ears without reason. But, the blood has an evil purpose; it carries frightening visions for anyone it touches...
Shallow Ground really gets off to an interesting and pleasantly original start, but about mid-way through, the movie starts to get a bit squirrelly. Trying to be all things and all possibilities that are frightening, the main idea gets lost in the jumble. When the viewer is introduced to new characters and new suspects near the end, the movie sort of loses its punch. I mean, how many psychos, secrets and murderers can one small town have?
This eventual scattering of the story line is disappointing; I had really liked it until then.
While the acting is decent and the special effects were impressive for a low-budget film, the movie feels disjointed and the ending creates more questions than it answers. Despite its problems, Shallow Ground is worth a watch; but I do recommend that you rent it first.
Recommended as a rental.
Overall Rating: 2
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Last Updated ( Friday, 11 September 2009 13:53 )
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