Horror films often present some type of moral message or cautionary tale. In slashers for example, teenagers are warned of the perils of premarital sex. In other horror stories, it is to not try to summon the dead. In Brightwood, writer and director Dane Elcar highlights the dangers of exercise.
Married couple Jen (Dana Berger) and Dan (Max Woertendyke) are going for a run the morning after the night before. Things between the couple are terse, partly because Jen believes Dan was flirting with her co-workers, but more because this is a marriage in crisis. Although the run is Jen’s idea, and he is hungover, Dan knows he needs to make amends and so joins her. They journey to the local park, but things get strange when they try to find the running trail. As the pair circle the pond in the middle of the park, events get stranger still, and as they encounter other versions of themselves, they must work together to stand any chance of getting out alive.
Brightwood is a great example of a film that straddles the boundaries of science-fiction and horror. Something in the cosmos is causing Jen and Dan to see events play out in repeat and the results are almost always bloody. Rather than stick to the tried and tested time-loop scenario, Elcar pushes his format out into more of a corkscrew, spiral shape. No loop seems to fully close, and instead widens, presenting the viewer with a vaster picture. It’s an interesting idea and is one that helps make Brightwood different from similarly themed movies.
Whilst Jen and Dan are trying to solve all of the timey wimey problems, they also have the issue of dealing with their relationship. It is clear from the opening moments that their pairing is in its death-rattle, but how long can they avoid the elephant? That Jen and Dan are on the outs lends itself beautifully to the story. It makes sense that they would immediately begin to bicker. Seeing them slowly and begrudgingly connect again to solve their dilemma piques audience curiosity. Could this life-changing scenario force them back together, or give them exactly the excuse they have been craving to go their separate ways.
Elcar’s relationship in crisis is a fascinating watch due to the blending of genres. A perfect example of why you should never go to bed on an argument, which also proves that exercise can be a real nightmare.
Brightwood
Summary
A curious and creative tale that places science-fiction, relationship dramas, and horror in the mix together with intriguing results.
Brightwood is available VOD and DVD on from 22nd August.
