Take from Me

A feature horror film written and directed by West Eldredge and starring Ethan McDowell, Kyla Diane Kennedy and Dwayne A. Thomas.

Something sinister is taking place in a small town in the United States. After a young woman named Elizabeth (Kenendy) arrives and moves into an isolated house, a man disappears. John (McDowell), a handyman who used to live in this house, begins to suspect that there is more to this newcomer than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Abe (Thomas), the head of the local police, investigates the disappearance and gets closer and closer to uncovering the truth.

Filming was completed for less than 90k, however the level of creativity gives the impression that the budget was much higher. Eldredge does such an amazing job as the director that it would be hard to believe that this is his directorial debut. The film is beautifully shot and the visuals look fantastic thanks to Kenneth Keeler's cinematography. Plus, the acting is very strong, but more about that later. Regarding the plot, it is a sort of mystery and romance, with much attention being directed towards the rapport that builds between Elizabeth and John and Abe's investigations. The atmopshere is dark, dramatic and suspenseful and murder does occur.

A man discovers that the new woman is town is hiding very dark secrets and the two of them develop a relationship. As intriguing as this plot is, the screenplay does not succeed in being constantly gripping, spending a great deal of time exploring the characters, instead of moving the story forward. Of course, character exploration is crucial for a good story (which this one certainly is), nevertheless, spending so much time on the character makes the pace too slow and this feature overlong.

The three protagonists (Elizabeth, John and Abe) are all suffering from a tragic past. Played brilliantly by Kennedy, Elizabeth is arguably the one who stands out the most, primarily due to what she actually is and because she claims that she does not mean anyone any harm but feels that she has no choice. John is an alcoholic who is dealing with loss and has spend years taking care of Elizabeth's house, as he used to live there with his wife and child. Meeting Elizabeth appears to be giving him a new purpose. Abe is a family man and recovering alcoholic who has had his own misfortunes.

Self-reflection plays a major part in this story, as does trauma, loss and alcoholism. Additionally, the significance of support and finding a soulmate are also acknowledged.

It would be fair to state that this horror film is slow-paced and overlong. Regardless of this, this feature deserves commendations for the acting, the plot, the atmosphere and for the technical aspects.