The Quiet Ones

Following on from the surprise success of the Daniel Radcliffe-led "Woman in Black" last year, Hammer Horror has returned with a dark tale exploring the very nature of possession. Set in 1970s Oxford, the film follows a small group of students conducting a controversial experiment headed by a blindly ambitious lecturer desperate to prove that the supernatural is merely a electromagnetic side effect of the human condition.

Naturally, the stakes of the experiment escalate exponentially throughout the film’s 93 minute duration. And whilst the premise is sufficiently interesting to sustain it’s running time, the execution is stale and decidedly mediocre.

The film will often switch to a “Blair Witch Project” shaky-cam in the middle of the action — and whilst this is still a very effective way of making the audience flinch and cower in their seats — it does give the film a bad clichéd aftertaste.
This film is filled with potential supporting by its strong cast and premise but throughout it's short time on screen a slew of missed opportunities and dull and overused creative decisions are made. By the forty minute-mark I was quickly losing interest.

By the final twist and convulsion of the lifeless plot I was beyond ambivalent.

In my opinion, there are only two types of horror movie.
There are those films that smash and crash their way through ninety minutes of horror — building stereotypical suspense sequences before throwing in a couple of often predictable jump-scares to ensure you leap from your seat. Granted these can be frothy and fun, but nevertheless immediately forgotten as soon as the pimpled usher flips on the house lights.

Then there are those rare horror films that manage to burrow, contort and crawl beneath your skin - with performances and themes that get to the very heart of what we find scary. “The Exorcist” shows us the slow suffering of an innocent young girl possessed by a demonic spirit. “The Shining” — a film which never startles the viewer throughout its two hour runtime — but instead uses slow, deliberate and repetitive shots to create a creeping unsettling that stays with you long after the credits roll. These are the horror films that define the genre, still influence popular culture years after their release and slither back into your subconscious when you’re walking home alone in the dark.

The promotional material flogging "The Quiet Ones" tries to convince us that this film is firmly part of the second of these two categories of horror film - but it’s formulaic filmmaking and often dire dialogue ensure it’s undeniably rooted in the former.

Admittedly, “The Quiet Ones” does excel in its category. Whilst not as armchair gripping as last year’s “The Woman In Black” there are plenty of scares to be had here — albeit slow, predictable builds to the usual faces at the window.

"The Quiet Ones" is a by-the-books terror flick. And nothing more.

The film could easily find an audience with younger horror fans — since “The Quiet Ones” is far superior to the endless parade of “Paranormal Activity” sequels that capitalise on this group of moviegoer’s money.
And granted, if you’re new to the genre there will be some surprises to be had here.
But whilst its superficial chills may last its running time - there’s little doubt that you’ll be left cold as the credits roll (proceeded by one final overused "Based on a True Story" warning).

5/10
@JustAaronBrown