Absentia (2011)

John Chard

8.0

Oct 18, 2015

Three Billy Goats Gruff. Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, Absentia finds Tricia (Courtney Bell) and Callie (Katie Parker) as two sisters who come to believe that the underpass nearby could be linked to the many disappearances in the area. A slow burn indie horror is not everybody's idea of a good time, but Flanagan has crafted a smart atmospheric chiller, one with a nifty fairy tale fantasy bubbling away under the surface. Narratively it's low-key, though the air of grief and terror is palpable. The setting is a low rent area of Los Angeles, a place where the girls are told to alwa…

Gimly

7.0

Sep 19, 2016

Pure filmmaking. Has the atmosphere that is by and large missing from the horror genre, opting for character development, tension, engagement and grounding rather than jump scares and gross-out gore effects. Still a horror movie, to be sure (and therefore not for everybody) but one that stands on its own. _ Final rating:★★★½ - I strongly recommend you make the time._

Jack

May 21, 2020

I watched this film without knowing it was actually directed by Mike Flanagan. When I saw his name in the beginning of the film, I immediately knew I was in for a treat! I was not wrong! There is something special about the way he tries to scare people who watch his films. I can't tell you exactly what that is. All I know is that he is bloody good at it! You could see the film had a limited budget but actually the fact that its budget was limited made the film even better. Its atmosphere was unique. The "jump scares" were not really a traditional jump scare but rather an amazing collecti…