THE PACT

At Dead by Dawn 2012, we were treated to a captivating 11 minute movie by writer and director Nick McCarthy as part of the festivals "Cutting Edge" shorts programme. It was an arresting piece of film making with a truly menacing atmosphere even if a conventional narrative was notably absent. Further intrigue was generated by our hostess of the macabre, Adele Hartley, when she revealed that a full length feature had already been completed due to funding being secured solely on the strength of the mini movie.

THE PACT hits the UK on DVD this October so the question is, would the ominous tone still be present in McCarthy’s first full length feature – or would financial backing lead to a more commercial venture?

The movie begins with a family in crisis. Annie’s (Caity Lotz) battle of coming to terms with her mother’s death is not helped by the fact her sister, Nichole (Agnes Bruckner), has ‘taken off’ instead of attending the funeral. It means Nichole’s young child Eva (Dakota Bright) has to attend with her babysitter and family friend Liz (Kathleen Rose Perkins).

With the girls in a swirl of anxiety and eager not to alarm young Eva further, Liz agrees to spend the night with Annie at her deceased mothers house. But her attempts at consoling Annie only serves to release suppressed emotions. Among the gloomy decor and religious ornaments, the depressing traits of the family, Nichole’s ongoing substance abuse problems, along with the predictability her absence, are painfully discussed. It seems the Barlow family have dwelled in that void between drama and tragedy for as long as Annie can recall. Mourning a mother who contributed liberally to an unhappy childhood is a complex and draining business it would seem.

That night, as the child and two adults sleep, something stirs within the house. Some force... a presence maybe that violently vies for Annie’s attention. But if it doesn’t want to kill Annie, maybe it has a message, a clue to a much darker truth from the past...

Well that’s all you are going to get from me as far as a synopsis goes because this is definitely a case of the less you know about the picture’s story going into it, the more you are going to get out of it.

The unnerving opening frames with its dark visuals and heavy breathing almost immediately answered the question that I posed in the introduction to this review.

Sometimes a movie just strikes a chord and resonates deeply with the viewer and with a relentlessly unsettling atmosphere to support the narrative; THE PACT was one such movie.

McCarthy is a huge genre fan with a genuine respect for vintage Euro horror and it was so refreshing to indulge in a movie that, although made in America, had an intelligent script devoid of Hollywood clichés. This naturally included the characters of the picture that had real substance to them and whose intricacies stopped them falling neatly into good and bad personas. Even the detective, Bill Creek (Casper Van Dien) while in an honourable vocation alluded to the fact his substance problems has led to a separation, yet ultimately he is a genuine cop looking to help. The diverse cast took advantage of the characters with aplomb and contribute massively to the fact this movie could entice multiple viewings.

Strong performances aside, the driving force behind the movie was its unfolding drama which is perfectly summed up by its talented creator McCarty who likened it to ‘peeling away the layers of an onion, slowly revealing what’s beneath’. The consistent pace of the movie helped drip feed the narrative, and in doing so, help create a truly absorbing spectacle brandishing a refreshingly depressive mood.

Ronan Lander’s solemn musical score compliments the movie perfectly and contributes greatly to the creating genuine tension before injecting the odd sudden change in tempo to keep the audience poised delicately at the edge of their seats! The nightmare sequence, for example, although gruesome was justified as it didn’t just provide an adrenaline fuelled shock, but also moved the narrative forward.

Largely set in the mother’s house there was a delightful mix of dreary vintage furnishings contrasting with golden sun pouring through the windows to give the movie a very distinct look. Bridger Nielson’s musty cinematography legitimately captured the abhorrent history of the family home.

The DVD is unfortunately a bit low on the ground in regards to the Extras. This was an online screener and the only bonus material pledged were three 5 minute skits made up of interviews with the cast and crew.

I found this movie highly watchable and even the odd minor flaw, such as the ‘oujia board sequence which I found a little too convenient first time round, was ultimately permitted due to it allowing the pace to remain consistent and contribute to an enthralling 90 minute movie.

Review by Marc Lissenburg