Wicked, wacky and weird, Caught is a contagious film that you will not be able to stop when you push play on your DVD or Blu-ray player. Especially if you are a huge fan of horror and sci-fi that combines the two types to make it a jewel for fans of the genres. The film gets very predictable, but without any harm to the viewer as you take each step toward an unpredictable ending. The script is not the “sharpest knife in the drawer”, but one that can compete with most action terror films within the past few years.
Andrew (Ruben Crow) and Julie Costello (Mickey Summer) live on the Moors in the town of Kintry Moors, England. The two of are book writers who base their stories on true life events. They have two children, 9-year-old Toby (Aaron Davis) and Emily, a newborn child. They are in the midst of trying to find out why the military is camping in the Moors up the hill from the home.
One day after seeing Toby off to school, Julie and Andrew notice two strangers approaching their home. Andrew suggests to Julie that they are either a religious sect trying to get new members or maybe with the Military who is building a base in the Moors. She cautiously allows them into her home when they tell Julie that they would like to ask her some questions. They introduce themselves as Mr. (Cian Barry) and Mrs. Blair (April Pearson). After they get into the house the Blair’s get a little assertive asking questions about Julie and Andrew’s trips to the Moors. When it starts to get personal and then demanding, the Costello’s couple to push back.
Moving along at a nice pace Director Jamie Patterson spools out his film feeding his viewers a lot of personality changes while leading up to the real reasons the Blair’s are visiting the Costello’s. When Patterson gets to the point where the Blair’s are avoiding reasons for interrogating the family, things start to escalate into a matter of life or death.
Patterson’s ability to mesmerize his audience is what makes the film work. It becomes an infectious desire to stick with the movie to see when the next shoe will drop or retaliation by the Costello’s against the strong offensive by the Blair’s will finally happen. Because the Blair’s talk and have the mannerisms of androids you will think you know what happens next and therefore the “predictably” point. But Patterson makes his film creepy enough to outweigh any revelations.
The acting is superb by the whole cast, each having a good handle on their characters. While the Costello’s are a normal couple who are taken aback by their intruders, the Blair’s move and talk like androids from a first generation science lab. The best character development however, comes from April Pearson who plays Mrs. Blair. She goes slowly and unavoidable from complacent to “mad dog” as she see’s contempt from the Costello’s. Each scene develops into another body adjustment before becoming an ugly mess of ferociousness.
The cinematography is very good turning a bright day at the Costello home into a brutal battleground. The house even becomes a character as it changes from inviting to foreboding. The prosthesis and make-up departments work overtime to craft Mrs. Blair into a raving monster that drips goo from her mouth as they change her body with each scene. It’s the best part of the horror thriller and it works to provide the shivers and disgust. Add to this a very good eerie musical sound track and you have an almost perfect movie.
Caught has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains extreme violence, gore and language. It is not for the meek or squeamish. There is closed caption if you would have a need for it and can be selected after the movie begins.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A well planned film for horror fans. It’s manically wicked! (4 out of 5 Stars)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Cian Barry, Ruben Crow, April Pearson, Mickey Summer, Aaron Davis, Dave Mounfield
Director: Jamie Patterson
Director of Photography: Paul O’Callaghan
MPAA Rating: Not rated, contains violence, gore and language
Genre: Horror, Sci-fi
Running Time: 1 hr. 28 min.
Video Release Date: May 1, 2018
Original Theatrical Release Date: March 30, 2018
Language: English
Reviewed Format: DVD
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Widescreen
Subtitles: English Closed Captions
Number of Discs: 1 disc
Distributed by: Cinedigm
Released on: DVD
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
