Running Time: 79 Minutes
Certification: 18
Starring: Jessica Butler, Leigh Shannan Feldpausch, Holter Graham, Amy Hargreaves, Art Hindle, Erick Kastel, Tommy Nelson, Spencer List, Pollyanna McIntosh, Scott Mellema, Stephen Grey
A writer who was known for provoking intense emotions in his readers, Jack Ketchum had a number of his works adapted into feature-films. One of the most popular adaptations is 2011's The Woman, the Lucky McKee directed work which received an eventual sequel, and also had a preceding feature. Offspring is based on the novel of the same name, and unfolds within Dead River, Maine. Director Andrew van den Houten sets the tone by opening his tale with newspaper headlines, detailing horrific occurrences including discovered remains, and missing children.
Late one night, David Halbard (Andrew Elvis Miller) works on his computer while his wife, Amy (Ahna Tessler), and their daughter sleep in the next room. As David steps outside for a break, he sees the curious sight of a barely dressed woman momentarily lurking outside the house. It is something that will make for a bizarre story, but little does he know that this is a harbinger of terror to come.
Elsewhere, a drunk mother returns home, where she questions the babysitter's location. Her inebriated state leaves her initially overlooking the foreboding sights and bloodstains littered throughout her house. When she sees a grotesque sight caused by feral children in her kitchen, she cannot ignore the warning signs anymore, even though they will be the last thing she sees.
What has been crafted blends backwoods horror and home invasion for a suburb set take on The Hills Have Eyes. This combining of sub-genres is the closest thing which sets this film itself apart, as this story about a cannibalistic tribe committing brutal acts against unsuspecting people feels like an outdated idea brought to the 2000s. There is an interesting element regarding how this tribe lives by beliefs which inform their cruel acts, yet this feels too fleeting as the group soon devolve into sadists that laugh like hyenas. At least Pollyanna Mcintosh shines with an effectively expressive performance, which makes it no surprise that she became the face of this series.
While he may be sat in the directors chair, there is little about Andrew van den Houten's direction that feels distinct. The feature generates an overwhelming sense of apathy throughout that flesh-eating cannot make up for, with the most emotional response coming from wishing production invested in better lighting. Adapting his own work, Ketchum's screenplay has an array of subplots that includes a mother and son escaping their abusive patriarch, and a former sheriff who has turned to alcoholism after previous experiences with the tribe. In a novel, there is plenty of chance for Ketchum to flesh out these characters and their subplots, but in this 79-minute film, it all feels underdeveloped.
The most inspiring thing within this work is the commonplace brutality committed by children, whether it is out of a need to survive or because it is the life that they know. While that is an interesting idea, it feels the rarity due to how tired and dated Offspring unfortunately feels.
Offspring is available on Limited Edition 4K UHD and available to stream on ARROW now
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