Dead Birds

The movie starts out with a bang as the outlaws steal the gold in a rather brutal bank attack that has bags of blood spraying in every direction. No time is wasted as they reach the home very quickly and that is when this flick really takes off.

Slow, moody, and atmospheric, I found this to be very unsettling. It struck a nerve with me that no other horror flick has done in quite some time. Everything from the lighting, or lack thereof, to the understated score just help to amp up those feelings.

It also helps that there are a number of really solid acting turns here, particularly from Henry Thomas, a long way from his childhood “E.T.” gig. I thought the movie was perfectly paced, the horrors of the house’s past slowly revealed to each of the major characters in a series of nicely set up horror scenes and vivid flashbacks.

Adding to all the tension in the house, is the paranoia of each member of the group who all believe that one of the others is going to make off with the gold, a feeling that is palpable to the viewer.

The flashbacks show that the previous owner of the home conducted a series of rituals involving his slaves and his children in an attempt to save his ailing wife. All he really succeeded in doing was opening a portal that allowed hellish creatures to invade our realm. The make-up and special effects are great and there are a number of genuine scares that even had me, a die-hard horror fan who is not easily spooked, jumping in my seat.

This is a movie that pretty much vanished without a trace when it was released and it definitely deserves to find an audience. Horror fans who enjoy the supernatural and J-Horror type flicks will get a big kick out of this one.

• Released: 2005
• Starring: Henry Thomas, Isaiah Washington
• Running Time: 91 minutes
• 4.5 stars out of 5