The Deeper You Dig

I have the utmost respect for movies that are snowbound.  Beyond the technical challenges posed by an unexpected thaw or uncomfortable shooting conditions, there is just some sort of mystique created when the flakes starting flying...especially in the horror genre.  While The Shining remains the preeminent example, 2019's The Deeper You Digalso captures some of that "long dark night of the soul" vibe so rare in films produced at this price range.

 

After accidently running over Goth-teen, Echo, on a dark and lonely road, Kurt compounds the error by suffocating her when it turns out the car didn't quite finish the job.  A quick shallow grave in the frozen ground is his desperate attempt to hide the evidence, but Echo's psychically gifted mom, Ivy, soon comes in search of her daughter.  Kurt's guilt and Ivy's suspicion make strange bedfellows as the pair unexpectedly develops a friendship.  But all the while, Echo's spirit is working its way into Kurt unconscious - and eventually conscience - mind, forcing a spiritual showdown that will leave no one unscathed.

 

A true family affair, co-writer and directors John Adams and Toby Poser star in the lead roles while their daughter, Zelda Adams, impresses as the unconventional Echo.  And while there's an emphasis on the eccentric (several scenes are shot with an eye towards the experimental), the narrative is relatable enough to engender a strong connection with the characters, despite the fact that we know relatively nothing about them.  The landscape reflects an icy sense of dread looming over the entire production, captured in a snowy two-lane highway or soggy, leafless trees.  

 

Not everything clicks.  Ivy's struggle with her lost "faith" in the supernatural is a plot point better left unexplored and the antique radio that only plays "Ain't We Got Fun" seems like a castoff idea from a failed Blumhouse production.  But overall it's a surprisingly adult viewing experience that gets where it's going with understated style and a welcome chill in the air.     

 

Arrow Video's two-disc Blu-ray set also contains an earlier Adams production, 2018's The Hatred, and a huge slate of extras including a commentary track, interviews, visual essay, special effects breakdown, music videos, trailers, image gallery and double-sided fold-out poster.

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