I’ve long been a fan of writer-director Darren Lynn Bousman. He’s the brilliant filmmaker that brought us films like Saw II and Saw III, Tales of Halloween, and the fantastically twisted film Repo! The Genetic Opera, as well as the upcoming movie Spiral. What’s not to love? Well, he’s back with a new terror-filled film, Death of Me, which is set to be released this October.
Maggie Q stars as Christine, a wife along on a trip with her travel writer husband Neil (Luke Hemsworth) who are traveling to a stunning island off of Thailand. After a night out at a local bar, the two wake up and themselves covered in dirt and bruises, with no memory of the night before. With their passports and ID missing, the two are stranded. After discovering a video on Neil’s camera, they are stunned at what they see and Christine is left confused and terrified of her husband and everyone around her. A horrifying supernatural tale unfolds filled with black magic, torture, and a story that will leave you unnerved.
Q is fantastic as Christine, emoting the terror, confusion, and desperation of her character so well. Not only does her plight tug at your heartstrings, but you’re also left cheering for her throughout the film as she struggles to survive. She’s human.
Hemsworth’s Neil comes off a bit nonchalant and leaves you wondering why he’s acting so shady. He’s not a villain, but he’s also not a sympathetic character either. You would expect him to be freaking out. He also does things that don’t make sense. If your wife was terrified, had been assaulted, is wandering off, and blacking out would you run off to snap some pictures of the locals? No, you’d be scrambling to find a way off the island and never letting her out of your sight.
Set against incredible natural beauty, the film delves into dark, ancient traditions that culminate in an ancient ritual as a typhoon threatens the island and its residents. Part psychological thriller and part supernatural horror, the movie will leave you questioning everything you witness. Featuring themes of black magic, sexual assault, murder, treachery, and intense emotion, Death of Me has something for every genre fan including great effects and an interesting story.
The way that Bousman transitions from reality to the spiritual world is clever, with the tone and the color shifting from rich, beautiful shots to dark, muddled, scenes with muted green tones. You question so much in this film, not having to guess which of the two worlds you’re seeing makes things easy to follow.
The movie has another great aspect, it keeps you guessing as you’re on the edge of your seat. As the story plays out, you are unable to guess what will happen next.
There aren’t a ton of jump scares, the movie builds real tension and dread, which I personally appreciate. You will continue to think about the movie’s events for a while after it’s over. That’s the mark of a good film in my book.
Death of Me is definitely a 4 out of 5 movie. Luckily, you don’t have to wait too long to see it, it will cast a spell on you on October 2, 2020, when it lands in theaters, On Demand and Digital, from Saban Films.
