David Marcos If slow paced, intelligent horror films along the lines of Let's Scare Jessica to Death or Carnival of Souls are your speed, you'll find a lot to love in Sole Survivor.Predating Final Destination by nearly 20 years, Sole Survivor tells the story of Denise, a TV producer, who ends up being the sole survivor of a plane crash. Soon after, she starts seeing people following her and, well,...I don't want to spoil anything else.Sole Survivor is a perfect example of "less is more." Things are never quite clear or explained, which makes the entire film quite mysterious and creepy. Most of the performances are subdued and natural and a large cloud of doom hangs over the entire film. It's impressively creepy, honestly.If you're a gore hound or looking for cheap jump scares, Sole Survivor might not be your cup of tea, but those who appreciate a nice slow burn will probably love it.

Woodyanders Perky young TV commercial producer Denise Watson (a fine and sympathetic performance by the fetching Anita Skinner) is the sole survivor of a terrible plane crash. Denise soon finds herself being stalked by the malevolent spirits of recently deceased people. However, she can't convince anyone else that something is seriously amiss. Writer/director Thom Eberhardt (who later gave us the delightful "Night of the Comet") relates the compelling story at a deliberate pace, does an expert job of creating and maintaining an arrestingly uncanny and ambiguous "Twilight Zone"-style atmosphere, effectively grounds the fantastic premise in a credibly rendered everyday mundane reality, and delivers a fair share of flesh-crawling moments (the sequence with Denise alive amidst the mangled dead bodies of victims of the airplane wreckage is truly grim and disturbing stuff). Moreover, the smart script puts an intriguing spin on a psychological condition known as "Survivor's Syndrome," in which folks who manage to be the only survivor of a horrific incident often wind up dying 24 months after said incident occurs. The sound acting from a capable and appealing cast rates as another major plus: Kurt Johnson as helpful, likable physician Dr. Brian Richardson, Robin Davidson as Denise's spunky best gal pal Kristy, Caren Lackey as neurotic psychic actress Karla Davis, and William Snare as cynical, puzzled coroner Artie. The ever-foxy Brinke Stevens contributes a neat cameo as a sexy lass who removes her top during a game of strip poker. David F. Anthony's supremely eerie and shivery score further enhances the unnerving creepy mood. Russell Carpenter's polished cinematography likewise does the trick. The nightmarish last third is genuinely harrowing. A nifty and most worthwhile fright feature sleeper.

Jonny_Numb As with other movies that deal with the blurry line between life and death, "Sole Survivor" often lacks cohesion in plot and logic. But the weight of its atmospheric shocks and well-paced suspense is effective–it's a movie that places its concentration on waking-nightmare horror rather than gore. A woman is the lone survivor of an airplane crash, predicted by a washed-up TV actress with psychic tendencies; complications arise when the recently-dead start popping up in the woman's everyday life. Eerie chiller with strong atmosphere and a moody pace draws favorable comparisons to "Carnival of Souls" and "Dead & Buried." Recommended for adventurous viewers with a taste for the offbeat.

go2dean This film was very nicely done despite it's budget. The director thoroughly developed each scene so that you knew exactly what was going on.I use to watch this film along side of the classic "Carnival Of Souls" with Candice Hillagoss. The difference between the two was that in carnival the lead character was half dead, but in this film the dead were hell bent making the lead character very dead.Cudos to Leon in his prelude role to Madonna's "Like A Prayer" video. You really don't know who he is until he opens his mouth. This is where you hear him sounding like his "5 Heartbeats" character JT.This is a must see for all true horror fans, and those who still enjoy the late Saturday night "fright night" features.8 out of 10 hands down.