The Farmhouse
Critic:
Patrick Foley
|
Posted on:
Aug 1, 2024
Directed by:
Luke Creely
Written by:
Luke Creely
Starring:
Nicole Pastor, Dominique Viney, Jacob Saunders
By day, remote countryside getaways are the ultimate Instagram-friendly, finding-yourself fantasy. But by night, the anxiety of being stranded miles away from society (and CCTV cameras) in a one-bedroom flat built next to a barn, defenceless against an axe-wielding madman or inhuman night-stalking monster kicks in (or maybe that’s just me…). Don’t watch Luke Creely’s The Farmhouse during your next country Airbnb rental – but this short psychological horror is worth checking out otherwise.
Kylie (Nicole Pastor) lives alone in a remote rural farmhouse. Deep into the night, she begins to be haunted by visions of a shadowy figure (Dominique Viney) who forces her to stare into her own soul and confront a murky, conflicted past. The more Kylie tries to escape, the more power the vision gains – until there is nowhere else to turn.
Fans of psychological horror will be impressed by the slow burn Luke Creely simmers The Farmhouse on. The haunting of protagonist Kylie builds slowly and deliberately – taking place mainly in darkness but with meaningful illumination to reveal secrets of her past. Creely has patience as both writer and director of the film – withholding the scariest moments until late in the story whilst building anticipation throughout. Tried and tested methods of reduced lighting, implied trauma and effective audio place the audience on edge until supernatural and brutal horror is ready to be unleashed.
Nicole Pastor is tasked with carrying the film – and her performance as Kylie is vulnerable, enticing and engaging. Kylie feels truly alone – and Pastor’s ability to capture her fear and helplessness make the unfurling events that much more terrifying. Admittedly, the role is reminiscent of many a ‘final girl’ before her, but Pastor more than lives up to her task, and viewers will be eager to learn of both Kylie’s history, and her fate.
There are a few nice, original touches to the film that allow it to stand out a little in a crowded psychological horror genre. The intensive focus on Kylie creates an impressive sense of empathy in the audience and allows us as viewers to experience the horror with the protagonist to a closer degree. Other films have managed this to a more impressive extent and used methods such as single-shot to hammer this point home, but The Farmhouse does it well enough to be notable. Kylie’s response to the shadowy figure, and the interpretive conclusion to the film are also intriguing elements – which will encourage repeat viewings of the film. Beyond these moments however, the action is a little reductive, and the shorter running time means familiar scene-staging taking up a larger percent of the film will have committed horror fans feeling more deja-vu than is ideal.
The Farmhouse is a solid and functional horror short, albeit one that only excels in a few singular elements and moments (such as its mirror scene). The abilities of director/writer Luke Creely and star Nicole Pastor are on display, and the result will please the majority of viewers. Punching beyond a horror audience is likely to be beyond it however as there is not much originality or moments that truly stand out.