Evil Things

Evil Things is a chilling horror-thriller directed by Dominic Perez. Released in 2009, the film is a unique blend of the found footage aesthetic common in the horror genre and a thrilling narrative that keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The film centers on five college friends who decide to celebrate a birthday weekend at a remote cabin in the woods. The group includes Miriam, the birthday girl portrayed by Laurel Casillo, clever Cain played by Morgan Hooper, and Rico, the adventurous boyfriend acted by Elyssa Mersdorf. Gabe, the gentleman of the group is played by Ryan Maslyn, and Leo, the man behind the camera, filming their trip is the creation of Torrey Weiss.

This seemingly fun-filled adventure takes a sinister turn before they even reach their destination. During their journey, terrifying events start happening, introducing an element of profound fear and suspense. The film delivers high-intensity horror while making clever use of the 'found footage' style, a testament to Perez's masterful direction and tight screenplay.

Miriam, who should be happily celebrating her 21st birthday, slowly reveals herself to be a woman of strength as ghastly incidents unravel around her. The unexpected events leading up to their cabin stay, their frightening experiences at the cabin, and their gut-wrenching attempts to make it out of the woods alive make this an immersive movie-going experience. Casillo's realistic portrayal of Miriam plays a pivotal role in drawing the audience further into the story.

On the other hand, Morgan Hooper and Torrey Weiss inject their characters, Cain and Leo, with an adequate blend of enthusiasm and youthful carefreeness typical of college kids. However, as the plot intensifies, their performances adeptly bring out the vulnerability, confusion, and fear that their situations demand. The ominous undercurrent of the film is strengthened by their genuine portrayals, leaving viewers hanging on to every twist and turn the story takes.

Leo, holding the camera, sets the tone of the movie with his recordings, both voluntarily and invasively, capturing the horror that unravels. The film does an excellent job at utilizing the perspective of Rico who is recording most of the events, an interesting way to engage the audience in the terrifying incidents occurring on screen.

The film scores high on its skilled use of the suspense factor as well, making it a gripping watch. Though it starts off as a jovial trip amongst friends with light-hearted banter and funny incidents, it slowly intensifies as they near their destination, keeping you guessing about the impending doom.

Never veering away from its intention to create a tension-filled atmosphere, the film consistently plays with elements of disappearance, strange occurrences, and inexplicable circumstances. The dread of the unknown pervades the entire run of the film, making it an intense horror-thriller experience.

Moving away from cliched horrific elements, Evil Things excels in portraying a subtle form of terror that is familiar yet unpredictable. Replete with stunning visuals that complement its gripping narrative, this take on the found footage sub-genre of horror delivers unsuspecting chills and amplifies the fear of the unknown craftily.

Overall, Evil Things capitalizes on solid performances, a robust narrative structure, well-crafted suspense, and smartly implemented horror elements to deliver an unforgettable cinematic experience. It takes viewers on a horrifying journey of suspense and fear, culminating in a shocking climax. The eerie sound effects and haunting visuals throughout the film heighten the sense of impending doom and constant danger, making it a must-watch for horror enthusiasts.