If you answered A Quiet Place, you would be right. However, if you suggested Death Valley, you would also be right. This is another horror movie where the characters dare not make a sound but unlike that aforementioned title, this isn’t very good. ..
The movie follows two mercenaries who are tasked with rescuing a scientist who is trapped within a bioresearch compound with a creature of mysterious origins. As she is also under threat from a local militia group who are patrolling the forests outside, our heroes also have to deal with horrors of a human kind when trying to save the beleaguered boffin.
The movie starts off well, with a strong opening scene that sets the tone for the rest of the film. However, the director of this movie, Matthew Ninaber, doesn’t have enough money to make his movie what it should be. This would not be a problem if the script and actors were good but in this case, they are not. The movie is very choppy and has many jumps in time which makes it difficult to follow.
The dialogue the actors are forced to deliver is clichéd and nonsensical, making it difficult for them to give good performances. However, despite this, they do their best and one actor in particular is particularly bad. If you decide to watch this poor performance, you will be able to see for yourself just how bad he is. ..
Despite these criticisms, the camerawork is quite good. When the characters are fleeing through the forests or trying to traverse a fast-flowing river, the director manages to raise some excitement. And when they are tiptoeing around a bunker trying to avoid being heard, he does manage to create the occasional moment of tension. ..
The main monster in the movie is quite effective too, so the movie gets another plus point here. Admittedly, the creature looks like a humanoid prune with teeth but it’s still quite scary and will be even scarier if you have ever had nightmares about being eaten by dried fruit (perhaps that’s just me). The director dons the monster suit himself and deserves credit for providing a few moments of terror with his performance. He previously took on the guise of Psycho Goreman in the movie of the same name, so he’s clearly not afraid to bury himself beneath a rubber costume. ..
Despite the few positives that this movie does have, there is little else to recommend. Action fans might be interested to know that the opening of the movie has lots of explosions and forest-based firefights but expectations should be set to low as the practical effects fail to make much of an impact. At one point, the grass seems to catch on fire before an explosion takes place, so I’m assuming there was either a problem with editing or an issue with the explosives.
Despite the low-rent setting, the story is muddled and unenlightening. The characters are cardboard cutouts and the plot is a mess. By the end, you will be bored with it and wish you had never bothered reading it.
Death Valley is a movie that some people might enjoy, while others might not. It’s reminiscent of the Roger Corman monster movies that were made in the 1950s, so if you’re a fan of those types of films, Death Valley may be for you.
This movie is not worth your time.
It’s a shame that the director clearly has some talent. With a better script and more talented actors, he could have made a decent film. Sadly, the finished product is a bit of a clumsy chore. Watch A Quiet Place again instead or better yet, give Psycho Goreman a go if you haven’t yet seen it, as that underrated monster gem is also streaming on Shudder. ..
