If you are looking for a little bit of mystery with a dash of horror at the box office this weekend look no further than Hunter Adams's latest project Dig Two Graves. The film stars Ted Levine (Silence Of The Lambs) and Samatha Isler ( Supernatural) and the premise of the story is pretty simple. When a young girl, Jake Mather (Isler), loses her brother in a tragic accident she becomes obsessed with his dead, but when a group of strange men makes her an offer to help bring her brother back from the dead if she only gives them something in return she will question just how far she is willing to go to bring back a person she loves.
Ted Levine plays Sherriff Waterhouse in the film and is also Jake's grandfather. While being the source of wisdom in the film he is also battling his own demons. Including a past that haunts him to this day. He is easily my favorite character in the film. Just something about him on screen as this gritty no-nonsense cop just works so perfectly in this film. It also may be that he has one of the most interesting voices in Hollywood, (I mean hey, who else could have made "it puts the lotion on its skin" such an iconic movie line). His character struggles with being a man of integrity and honesty and the one thing that has darkened his past. The funny thing about demons from your past is that even when you may be done with them, they may not be done with you and that couldn't be more true that in this film.
Our young lead Samatha as Jake also does a great job of being incredibly expressive throughout the film without having to really say much. Her face reads like a book of emotions and it carries her character a long way. When she is faced with this really tough decision you can see her internal struggle as she is weighing out all the options. In films like these, it is easy to have young stars overact their way through the film leaving viewers less than impressed with the overall work, but Isler handles this role like a true professional and totally pulls you in.
The small town that all this takes place in is almost like a character in itself. There is something about these small close knit towns that can be welcoming but in an instant turn super creepy. From the dark winding dirt roads through the woods, to the dilapidated buildings that sprinkle the landscape you get a sense of unease through the film. Sprinkle in some of our more creepy figures in the movie and it sets a scene for this mystery to unfold.
Overall, we scored Dig Two Graves with a solid B. The film's original story and creepy but smooth pacing keep things flowing nicely throughout and the cast does a fantastic job of bringing this film together and giving us something worth watching. If you are in the market for something not on the big blockbuster side of things we highly recommend checking out Dig Two Graves in theaters and on iTunes starting March 24th! Check it out locally H-town at the AMC Studio 30 beginning March 24th.