BLOOD WORK: HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 3: BEFORE I WAKE (2016)

Sometimes horror films are made and due to surrounding circumstances they are never released. They become "lost horror films." Such was the case with director Mike Flanagan's film BEFORE I WAKE. Slated to be released back in 2015, the U.S. distributor for the film went under before the movie could be released. And there it languished in cinema limbo for years before Netflix acquired it and finally released it for all to see.

Mike Flanagan is no stranger to the worlds of the supernatural and horror. His film credits include directing ABSENTIA, HUSH, OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL, and (my favorite among these) OCULUS as well as others. Netflix has been very kind to the director having made several of his films available for streaming and even funding a few of his projects. Flanagan is big fan of horror icon Stephen King and in turn Stephen King has praised Flanagan's work, the film Oculus in particular. The Exorcist director, William Friedkin, has also praised Flanagan's work. Needless to say, Flanagan seems to be on a good trajectory with the horror community.

So does Before I Wake live up to Flanagan's reputation?

THE PLOT

Jessie and Mark are still coping with the loss of their son. Feeling ready to try again, the couple adopt a young boy named Cody. Cody has had a trouble life, having been adopted several times but always returning due to one reason or another. Jessie and Mark begin seeing strange things late at night after Cody comes to live with them. They soon discover that Cody's dreams become reality. And so do his nightmares. A ghoulish decrepit figure begins haunting them at night. Researching Cody's history, Jessie discovers that all the previous couples who had adopted the boy had either gone missing or gone insane. As Cody's nightmarish boogie man begins threatening their lives Jessie and Mark must decide how to stop it or to stop Cody himself before anyone else gets hurt.

THE GOOD

Subtly. Sometimes the most potent scares in films are the ones that take their time. Before I Wake begins right away with a bizarre scene that ques the viewer into the supernatural elements of the story. And then it takes a step back. The film slows down in action but the content is no less heavy. We meet or protagonists and learn of their loss. The supernatural elements slowly seep back into the story. And the first few instances are subtle, a shadow on the wall, a figure in the background, and a nightmare which may or may not be in reality. The filmmakers build up the scares slowly and organically, establishing a strong sense of atmosphere.

The Human Drama. Mike Flanagan categorizes this film as a "supernatural drama" as opposed to a horror film. I'd agree in the way that this film has a very human drama at its core. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is hard. The loss of one's own child is a parent's greatest nightmare. This film is about moving on after such a tragedy, welcoming another child into your life, and how that can effect one's feelings toward the departed. Nightmares manifesting as a result of despair, guilt, and insanity. The film displays these nightmares both internally in the characters emotions and externally with a child whose dreams literally come to life.

The Ending. When you first see the monster it is cast in silhouette and is very effective. Eventually you see more and more of the monster and the clearer the image the stranger it becomes. By that I mean it appears as if the monster needed more CGI work. As the film builds towards its climax we are shown how the monster came into being, its motivations, and how it came to look the way it does. Everything comes together in a revealing and satisfying conclusion. The film once again ties the supernatural elements to a grounded and very real story in a powerful way. This satisfying ending is a big part what makes this movie remarkable.

NITPICKS

Scratching the Surface. Before I Wake is a relatively small movie in terms of scope. The film's budget was likely very small and therefore the film presentation is on a smaller scale. With subject matter such as a child's dreams manifesting physically in the real world you'd think there'd be dinosaurs, monsters, animals, race cars, and super heroes all over the place. Obviously the film did not have a budget for that so it's hard to fault the movie on these terms. I really don't have any nitpicks with this film other than that the premise has far reaching potential that couldn't be fully realized. Had the filmmakers had in excess of $200 million dollars to render the film, then sure. But with a budget likely less than 1% of that the filmmakers pulled it off very well.

THE VERDICT

A small movie that runs deep. Before I Wake tells a very human story with elements of the fantastic. If you are a parent this film strikes fear on several levels. If you are not a parent there is still a strong story with frightening imagery and scenarios. The film creates an effective atmosphere and builds up the scares naturally and effectively. The central monster is frightening and rooted in very real horror. And everything comes together in a strong and satisfying conclusion.

Overall Ranking: 6 out of 10