Well GO USA
Spoiler Alert
Although the creature feature A Creature Was Stirring had limited theatrical screenings last month, I had my plate full on what to enjoy over the holiday season. This eerie variation of a trapped in a cabin in the woods’ scenario would eventually get viewed, and I’m hoping the coming home video release will offer a behind-the-scenes featurette to explain the finer points.
This tale about a mighty morphing porcupine has the vibe of a Stuart Gordon film. And when the focus is not about two teens claiming to be Jehovah’s witnesses entering into a situation they are totally unprepared for, what’s presented is more familial.
Here, the tale is about a mom’s (Chrissy Metz) devotion to finding a cure for her daughter’s condition. But the overly zealous Liz (Scout Taylor-Compton) and her cautious brother, Kory (Connor Paolo) think Satan has a role to play in everything. The concept is gonzo, and I have to love how everyone thinks they can save Charm (Annalise Basso). Faith is the matriarch, and I’m sure deciding on the name of this character was intentional.
And when considering a tiny part of this movie takes inspiration from Judy Collin’s holiday poem, I’m guessing there are more elements in play that neither friend and foe realise. It makes for a rather enigmatic motion picture. I’m curious about the other beasts roaming the land and what they have to do with this family. Also, that rat with a human skull on its head is far scarier than the beast! As for why this film has a lot of neon mood lighting (technically lightning), I’m at a loss. While that can look nice, I just can’t figure out who or what would cause that to happen since it’s not coming from the Christmas decorations!
What’s presented here is interesting in concept. Some ideas are well executed, and Damien LeVeck is great at delivering a film that has shades of Rob Reiner’s Misery mixed in. Thankfully, this film is very different from All the Creatures Were Stirring (2020) which I also reviewed. To say which film is better, my vote is for the older film.
Although the story from Shannon Wells, a newcomer to the world of horror, has promising potential, the plot holes bog this film down. There’s even a twist that felt unneeded since it alludes to a bigger problem between mother and child. Because no good horror film can go without one, I feel a director’s cut is needed, so I can make better sense of everything that went on. As for whether bonus materials exist for this home video release, it doesn’t look like anything extra is packed into this one; this is based on what’s offered based on image promos and in the press release.
3 Stars out of 5
A Creature Was Stirring Movie Trailer
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