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Review: Don't Run

Writer/director Ben Rood had a buck in his pocket when he set out to make Don't Run, a new horror flick about a teenage boy who is afraid to leave his house... until fear comes home and finds him.

Rood worked as a firefighter and furniture mover to fund the project, which is clearly a labour of love. And that love shines through in every frame and every moment of this low-budget chiller.

Sure, some of the performances are uneven -- I'm pretty sure every aspiring actor who wants to play a tough cop simply can't pull it off -- but leads Danny Irizarry and Charlotte Arnold nail their roles with conviction. Ditto supporting players Wendy Keeling and Jeremais Irribarren.

And creepy kid Cameron Hollstegge is one of the creepiest creepy kids I've seen on film. Mostly because he's trying to be the exact opposite of creepy. It's creepy!

Why am I, a Basement Reviewer, focusing on the performances? Because they're the heart of this movie. Them, and Rood's talents as a writer/director. He does a lot with a little here, and has made a spooky and enduring horror film that takes the monster-under-the-bed premise, and twists it into something new.

Don't Run is as much about mental health as it is monsters, but the two blend together well. This isn't a it's-all-in-his-head movie either, which I appreciated. I never once felt cheated, and was engaged for the full running time, which I can't say about a lot of new movies. And I liked Irizarry and Arnold and their relationship too.

All these elements come together to craft a Good movie, and one I'd highly recommend.
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