Dig Two Graves Review
By: Nik S
Director: Hunter Adams
Producer(s): Larry Fessenden, P.J. Fishwick, Claire Connelly
Starring: Ted Levine, Samantha Isler, Danny Goldring, Troy ruptash
Production Company: Independent Filmmaker Project
Distributor: Area 23a
Runtime: 85 minutes
The film opens with a prologue set in the 1940's with a sheriff and his deputy disposing two bodies into a quarry. When we jump forward 30 years, circa 1977, we meet Jacqueline "Jake" Mather (Isler) is a teen living in the rural Midwest with her brother Sean (Schneider). After trying to face her fears of jumping into the quarry, Sean agrees to jump in at the same time with her. She hesitates as Sean goes diving in, without resurfacing. Jake tries to live a normal life, but is haunted with the grief of her brother. While walking home one day she encounters three gypsy moonshiners who live along the outskirts of town that dazzle her with magic tricks. They promise her that they can bring her brother back to life, with a catch of course--for the magic to work properly they need another life to be sacrificed. Jake now has to tackle the dilemma of giving up someone else's life for a loved one and the mysteries surrounding the moonshiners.
There are two things that the film does well to project in its overall tone, guilt and the evils that hide in the hearts of men. Adams had a vision for this film and he stuck to it the entire time. There are plenty of twists, turns, and revelations that sometimes feel a little jangled, but it only adds to the overall weight of the story. The film has horror elements in it, but isn't filled with cheap jumpscares or buckets full of blood. Rather, they use the horror-like elements to create suspense and an overwhelming sense of dread. Every time Jake is faced with a moral dilemma the tone becomes darker and you feel the weight of her grief on your own shoulders. The film isn't slow-burning but the pace is in no hurry to get anywhere fast. The cinematography is done exceedingly well to help with the haunting tones.
Isler and Levine are the strongest performances throughout the whole film. Since Isler is not a recognized actress, though her role as Jake is promising for any role she has in the future. Every time Jake has to go through an emotional turmoil she just gushes with all sorts of painful emotions. Levine, who normally is a side character, does wonder as one of the leads who just wants to protect his granddaughter.
Most of the flaws can be easily overlooked, but they still awkwardly stand out. The movie can occasionally get heavy in the occult for a few scenes taking away from the dramatic focus. There are a few plot points that seem a little underwhelming when compared to everything else that goes on. Some of the other young teens' acting can be very generic and rather annoying, and other side characters just seem to stick to a cliche.
The movie does surprisingly well as a low-budget film. I liked the slow buildup to the climax and the creeping sense of death sprinkled throughout. The gypsies and the occult often take the focus away from the dread and drama, but they are what push the story forward. I think if those scenes were handled differently it might have actually made the film worse or made it even more of a slow build. This isn't an easy one to recommend to people, but for what it is it's still very enjoyable.
Director: Hunter Adams
Producer(s): Larry Fessenden, P.J. Fishwick, Claire Connelly
Starring: Ted Levine, Samantha Isler, Danny Goldring, Troy ruptash
Production Company: Independent Filmmaker Project
Distributor: Area 23a
Runtime: 85 minutes
Dig Two Graves is an independent thriller with gothic elements that is the first full-length feature for director Hunter Adams and co-written by Jeremy Philips. The film was produced by Larry Fessenden who helped bump up the quality of the low-budget production and most members on the project were selected by the Independent Filmmaker Project. The film premiered at the New Orleans Film Festival and at the Midwest Independent Film Festival 2014-2015, but didn't see a limited theatrical release until 2017. The film began as a short, originally called Jake's Choice, and was filmed somewhere in Northeast Wisconsin. The intention for the short was for it to provide a fundraising tool, but as it progressed Adams noticed what he wanted to shape it into. Production took five weeks: four weeks in January, where they shot in Southern Illinois, and one sometime over the summer.
The film opens with a prologue set in the 1940's with a sheriff and his deputy disposing two bodies into a quarry. When we jump forward 30 years, circa 1977, we meet Jacqueline "Jake" Mather (Isler) is a teen living in the rural Midwest with her brother Sean (Schneider). After trying to face her fears of jumping into the quarry, Sean agrees to jump in at the same time with her. She hesitates as Sean goes diving in, without resurfacing. Jake tries to live a normal life, but is haunted with the grief of her brother. While walking home one day she encounters three gypsy moonshiners who live along the outskirts of town that dazzle her with magic tricks. They promise her that they can bring her brother back to life, with a catch of course--for the magic to work properly they need another life to be sacrificed. Jake now has to tackle the dilemma of giving up someone else's life for a loved one and the mysteries surrounding the moonshiners.
There are two things that the film does well to project in its overall tone, guilt and the evils that hide in the hearts of men. Adams had a vision for this film and he stuck to it the entire time. There are plenty of twists, turns, and revelations that sometimes feel a little jangled, but it only adds to the overall weight of the story. The film has horror elements in it, but isn't filled with cheap jumpscares or buckets full of blood. Rather, they use the horror-like elements to create suspense and an overwhelming sense of dread. Every time Jake is faced with a moral dilemma the tone becomes darker and you feel the weight of her grief on your own shoulders. The film isn't slow-burning but the pace is in no hurry to get anywhere fast. The cinematography is done exceedingly well to help with the haunting tones.
Isler and Levine are the strongest performances throughout the whole film. Since Isler is not a recognized actress, though her role as Jake is promising for any role she has in the future. Every time Jake has to go through an emotional turmoil she just gushes with all sorts of painful emotions. Levine, who normally is a side character, does wonder as one of the leads who just wants to protect his granddaughter.
Most of the flaws can be easily overlooked, but they still awkwardly stand out. The movie can occasionally get heavy in the occult for a few scenes taking away from the dramatic focus. There are a few plot points that seem a little underwhelming when compared to everything else that goes on. Some of the other young teens' acting can be very generic and rather annoying, and other side characters just seem to stick to a cliche.
The movie does surprisingly well as a low-budget film. I liked the slow buildup to the climax and the creeping sense of death sprinkled throughout. The gypsies and the occult often take the focus away from the dread and drama, but they are what push the story forward. I think if those scenes were handled differently it might have actually made the film worse or made it even more of a slow build. This isn't an easy one to recommend to people, but for what it is it's still very enjoyable.
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