Vomitron_G I don't particularly care too much when a movie is not really original. As long as it's well made, the story is captivating enough, the acting is okay, the effects look good enough, and so on... And as far as a debut film goes, "Beneath" is pretty damn alright. There's always things to complain about, and I too could come up with a couple of negative comments on "Beneath", but as a mystery/horror/thriller it delivers tension and scares with good production values. The story is a pretty typical one (creepy mansion somewhere in an isolated town inhabited by a family with a dark secret), but it's handled with great care. It all results in a film that's decent enough in my book. "Beneath" would make up for a fine creepy double bill with, for example, "Solstice" (2008).

Hellraiserdisciple As a teenager Christy Wescot and her sister Vanessa are in a car accident. Vanessa becomes horribly burned before she eventually dies. Christy has a mental breakdown and leaves town. Six years later she returns when their old caretaker passes away. Memories and visions haunt her. Could Vanessa be trying to say something from beyond the grave? We've seen the story before. A person who has suffered some childhood trauma returns home only to be confronted with demons past. Beneath never manages to do something new and creative with this concept, but in its unoriginality it still remains pretty watchable. One of the reasons for this is the mercifully short running time and general pace. There isn't anything excessive in the movie. We are told what's necessary and little else. Some movies need time to unfold, while others like Beneath, benefit on being concise and to the point. None of the actors really make a mark, but Nora Zehetner as Christy is likable enough. It was a pleasant surprise to see Don S. Davis (Twin Peaks, Stargate SG-1) in a minor role as the caretaker Joseph too. The technical aspects of the movie are generally decent, with a couple of great shots, like the tracking shot as Christy first comes home. There was one musical cue that was supposed to scare, but instead came off as forced ruining an otherwise decent scene. Speaking of scares there is very little suspense in the movie. The returning visions may yank those dosing on the couch back to reality, however it soon becomes tiresome. Only towards the end does Beneath manage to create some tension, but it's too little too late. The ending was an interesting mess making me wonder if they were unsure how to round it all off.Ultimately Beneath isn't likely to scare horror fans, though a younger crowd may find it satisfying. The film is well made for being a straight-to-DVD release and everyone involved seem to have contributed the best they could. It looks alright and it kept my attention throughout. I only wish they had made a stronger effort in writing the script.

Claudio Carvalho In Edgemont, Montana, the teenager Christy Wescot (Nora Zehetner) is very connected to her beloved sister Vanessa Locke (Carly Pope). On her fourteenth birthday, Christy asks Vanessa to drive her convertible car, but she has a car accident, hits a rock and is thrown off the seat; however Vanessa is trapped in the car that explodes and she survives disfigured and totally burnt. Christy is sent to Pine Bluff Psychiatric Care Center for treatment while her sister is treated by her husband Dr. John Locke (Matthew Settle) at home with the assistance of the nurse Claire Wells (Eliza Norbury). When Vanessa has a heart attack and dies, Christy has a breakdown in the funeral service telling that her sister is alive in the coffin. Then she moves to California for the pre-med, but is haunted by nightmares and weird visions. When the caretaker of the family Joseph (Don S. Davis) dies six years later, Christy returns to Edgemont for the funeral and has a cold reception by John and his mother. However, her niece Amy (Jessica Amlee) that is afraid of "dark things" behind the walls of the house asks her to stay in the town for a couple of days and Christy's friend Debbie (Nicole Anderson) welcomes and lodger her in her house. Christy has mysterious blackouts with strange visions and decides to investigate the death of her sister that she believes had been buried alive, disclosing a dark secret, while the locals believe she has borderline personality disorder."Beneath" is labeled of horror, but it is actually a thriller with some touches of supernatural mysteries. The intriguing story and the characters are well-developed, the acting is above average and in the end "Beneath" is not a masterpiece but a good movie and worthwhile seeing. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Sombra da Morte" ("Shadow of the Death")

dbborroughs MTV films makes a really moody horror film. To be certain its the sort of thing thats been done before, but even then this has some genuine shivers and some creepy moments.The basic plot has a young girl returning home when her old caretaker dies. The girl has a tragic past that includes the death of her sister after a fiery car crash. Plagued by visions and a sense that her sister was buried alive she begins to search for clues as to what happened seven years before.This one came out of left field for me. I have vague notions about hearing about the film, but I never really remember seeing or hearing anything about it. I'm pretty sure that helped my enjoyment of the film since I had no preconceived notions for it.Looking like TV movie with interiors that remind one more of a set than of a real place this film over comes its limitations (and occasional WTF moment) to play out almost as if its an extended Tales from the Darkside or other similar horror anthology show. Odd shifts in perspective, some genuine creepy, but not too in your face imagery and willingness to go sans blood and guts except as required make this pretty much a throw back to the old days of horror when less is more. Its not perfect but even with its flaws and the following of a well worn path at times this still manages to be a solid little thriller of the B variety.Worth a rental with a bag of popcorn and a soda.(Though don't buy this just yet -its a bare bones release that they want almost 30 dollars list for- too much for too little)