Running Time: 88 Minutes
Certification: 15
Starring: Richard Brake, Andrew-Lee Potts, Bill Fellows, Rufus Hound, Katie Sheridan, Sally Collett, Samantha Neale, Alana Wallace, Jennifer K Preston, Jacob Anderton, Dean Bone, Sarah Lewis Obuba, Miles Mitchell, Ben Crompton, Steven Blades, Christopher Mulvin, Sammy T. Dobson
From directors James Bushe, Patrick Ryder, and Greig Johnson, Lore is an anthology feature that follows four thrill-seeking friends in their annual tradition. They reunite to partake within an immersive experience, and this latest one is part of a horror-themed camping excursion. As they enjoy each others company and dispute which of their group scares easily, they struggle to find their bearings until they cross paths with Darwin (Richard Brake), the eccentric guide for their "once in a lifetime experience."
As they spend the night around the campfire, Darwin encourages the group to tell scary stories in order to "feed the evil." This serves as the framing device for the unfolding stories, with the directing trio taking it in turns to helm the various segments of this anthology feature.
Kicking things off is Shadows, a segment that dives into the action as Danny (Andrew-Lee Potts) runs from two men pursuing him. The chase ends up inside a warehouse, but as Danny hides in the shadows, he discovers something else is also lurking within the shadowed spaces. This is a solid work to kick off this feature, as the atmospheric piece soon questions where the terror is truly coming from, with Potts doing great work in the central role.
Following that up is The Hidden Woman, which sees a mother and son arriving at a large house with the intent of moving in. Left within this luscious location are a large amount of items left behind by the previous, although the most troubling thing remaining is the lingering figure haunting the house. Of the segments which make up this feature, this is the most disappointing one. What could have been an eerie tale about a lost past instead sheds any nuance, too often opting for loud noises to substitute for actual scares.
Next up is Choose Your Heart, which follows the repellent Steve (Rufus Hound) in a hotel bar with his girlfriend. It may be their anniversary, yet that does not stop him from wishing to swap partners with another couple for the night While his girlfriend seemingly wants to salvage their relationship by not going through with this, Steve pressures his girlfriend to partake, and soon realizes that he has sealed his own fate. This is easily the strongest segment, utilizing a straightforward tale in effective ways that sees the abusive partner subjected to the consequences of his own actions.
For the final segment, The Keychain Man follows three friends who are attending a midnight screening at what is evidently an Odeon cinema. Working that evening is a tall employee who is being openly bullied by his manager, something which builds until the employee snaps and begins a killing spree within the cinema.
It is easy to see why this story was so enticing, delivering a home-invasion tale for cinephiles, as their home away from home becomes the location of a bloodbath orchestrated by the usher from hell. Nasty kills are brought alive through practical means, with the silencing of an overly complaining patron being a particular highlight. Yet this fun idea is bogged down by how frustrating matters can become, courtesy of the characters feeling too dense, and the tale leaning too much towards comedy that often misses the mark.
As the feature returns to its framing device in order to wrap up matters, it soon becomes clear that these stories hold real consequences for all involved. Lore could benefit from more consistency in quality, yet the stronger segments make this a solid watch for any horror fans.
Lore is available now on Digital Download
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