When it comes to horror films, most are pretty formulaic, especially those that involve the paranormal. The Gallows really isn’t any different and I had such high hopes for this film seeming as though it comes from the makers of Paranormal Activity and Insidious.
Set in a high school, 20 years after a tragic accident during a school production where Charlie Grimille lost his life by hanging from The Gallows. The students, in a misguided attempt to mark the anniversary of this freak accident, decide to recreate the production but it becomes all to clear the past should be left in the past as Charlie has a little adventure in store for those taking part.
With only a cast of four main characters, and not many other bit characters, this low budget film far from looks that way. If we take anything from this film it is the fact it looks like it has had a pretty decent amount of money thrown behind it. It’s shot extremely well and does have that scary feel to it even if it does come in that over used medium, the hand held found footage style of filming, which, let’s face it, is so over used. Whilst it worked once upon a time it’s just getting a bit old now.
All set in one night, the night before the play’s revival, Reese, Pfeifer, Cassidy and Ryan (which you will also find are the names of the actors) break into the school to cause mayhem on the set. After what seemed like a long wait, turns into a fight to escape the school and a fight for their lives. The build up to the main action just seemed to go on forever and while it covered some of the back story of what originally happened 20 years earlier it just seemed lacklustre and drawn out. I was constantly wishing something would have happened sooner.
Once the action started there were a few jump out of your skin moments but it all became predictable as we have seen this story told before. There just isn’t really an original storyline anywhere to be seen throughout the main bulk of the film, what did make me perk up was the twist at the end of the film which I did not see coming at all, we needed to see more of this earlier on to make this a little more interesting.
Whilst this ending was the best part of the film it did make it a little messy, it left me with the question of what’s going to happen next! Are they going to make a sequel or leave it open? Maybe they are waiting to see the reaction the film gets before they make that decision.
The Gallows had potential but it lets itself down miserable with a mostly predictable plot in a genre that really needs a good shake up and a little more creativity added to the mix.
The Gallows is out in UK Cinemas 17th of July.
