Scruffy ex-con Kenny Crawford (an excellent performance by Michael Reed) arrives in the small town of Dunwich after finding out that his brother Andrew (a fine and likable performance by Jason McCormick) has been admitted to an asylum. Worse yet, Andrew is suspected of a series of disappearances in the town. Kenny soon discovers that something much more sinister is afoot in Dunwich while investigating the circumstances behind Andrew's incarceration. Writer/director Richard Griffin relates the complex and absorbing story at a snappy pace, does a sturdy job of crafting both a spooky midnight-in-the-graveyard gloom-doom atmosphere and an intriguing air of mystery, makes good use of the pleasant New England locations, and delivers a handy helping a grisly gore along with a decent smattering of yummy female nudity. Moreover, Griffin deserves extra points for coming up with one devastating doozy of a surprise downbeat ending. The sound acting by the capable cast holds the movie together: Reed excels as a refreshingly flawed and reluctant hero, the lovely Sarah Nicklin burns up the screen as kinky and sultry slut Nikki Hartwell, Carlos Brum positively oozes as slimy decadent creep Otto Bellenger, Ruth Sullivan registers well as eager reporter Marsha Hollaway, 70's cult cinema siren Lynn Lowry does a customary tip-top professional job as sage librarian Margo Warren, Jeff Dylan Graham has a field day as helpful kook Upton Armitage, and Brandon Luis Aponte provides amusing comic relief as geeky loser Batz. Ricardo Rebelo's sharp cinematography gives the film an impressive polished look. Tony Milano's brooding score does the ominous trick. A worthy fright flick.
Review of Beyond the Dunwich Horror
