Based on a novella by Stephen King and son Joe Hill, In the Tall grass is about a brother/sister duo who enter a field of, well, tall grass in order to help a lost boy. Given this comes from the mind of King and Son, things quickly go downhill from there.
Written and directed by Vincenzo Natali, In the Tall grass plays a little like his debut feature Cube; this is a claustrophobic and nasty piece of work set within a disorienting environment where escape seems impossible. And somehow Natali, along with a capable cast that includes genre vet Patrick Wilson, makes it work.
You see, at the centre of the field is a large rock -- I'm guessing meteor -- that has unleashed a force on the surrounding areas. This power can manipulate people's fears and desires, and even resurrect the dead. Got all that? It's pretty cool, but requires the viewer to piece it together themselves.
I dug it. It's different. And there's stuff horror fans want to see. Stuff like stabbings, crazed religious folk, and the eating of stillborn babies. Yup. I just wrote that.
In the Tall Grass is expertly directed and acted. It's not overly scary, but I jumped a little, and certainly never got bored. However, this isn't the kind of fun ride you want to pop in after a night at the pub, so I'm not sure it lends itself to repeated viewing. I'm giving it a Bad, and calling it a night.
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