Worst Horror Films of 2023: A Critical Review
Shelby Oaks Review – A Summary
This review of Shelby Oaks expresses mixed feelings, ultimately leaning towards disappointment, despite Mike Flanagan‘s involvement. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
* Premise: The film follows a woman searching for her sister and her YouTube team who disappeared while investigating a mysterious abandoned town. it blends found footage with a more conventional narrative.
* Story: The story is described as a fairly basic and abstract take on a satanic plot.
* Characters: A major weakness is the lack of compelling characters. They are seen as “vessels” for the plot rather than fully realized people, making it hard to invest in their fate. Keith david’s appearance is noted but doesn’t significantly impact the film.
* youtube element: The inclusion of the YouTube aspect feels overly serious and gives too much weight to what is essentially ghost hunting.
* Direction & Visuals: Director Stuckmann is praised for his handling of the presentation and getting decent performances from the cast. The location (the Shawshank Redemption prison) is visually interesting but underutilized.
* Scare Factor: The film lacks scares. A monstrous entity is overexposed, leading to unintentionally funny moments.
* CGI Issues: The reviewer strongly dislikes the use of CGI glowing eyes,finding them ineffective and silly,echoing their dislike of them in the Salem’s Lot remake.
* Overall: While technically competent in some areas, Shelby Oaks suffers from a weak story, unengaging characters, and a failure to deliver on the horror front.
In short, the review suggests that mike Flanagan’s involvement didn’t elevate the film to the level of quality his fans expect.