Until “The Survivors” is actually made, A Grim Becoming is the closest thing you’re going to get to an all star horror cast. It’s got legends, current kings and queens of gore, and the best up-and-comers. Still, it needs a lot more than that to be worth a rental or purchase when it eventually hits VOD and DVD (and it will, mind you). So, did A Grim Becoming hit me in all the right places? Read my review below to found out.
A Grim Becoming is written and directed by Adam R. Steigert with a few other writers including Janeen Avery, Christopher Brechtel, Mark Mendola, and T.R. Smith. Cast members include Bill Oberst Jr. (Abe Lincoln vs. Zombies), Jessica Cameron (Truth or Dare), Devanny Pinn (The Black Dahlia Haunting), Lynn Lowry (The Crazies), Melantha Blackthorne (Sinners and Saints), Bitt Griffith (“Ghost Hunters”), Sherri Lyn Litz (Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast), Brandyn T. Williams, Melyssa Jade, Patrick Mallette, Michael Sciabarrasi, Mike Sarcinelli, Kevin Tanski and many others.
“Raphael, a young executive who is on the verge of losing a multimillion dollar architectural deal with a large distribution company lead by the awkward Stanfords. Raphael suffers a sudden death in his family and has to immediately leave to go to the funeral in his home town of Metzburgh. As Raphael returns to Metzburgh, he experiences a life changing event: witnessing a Grim Reaper taking a soul. This sighting results in Raphael becoming a Reaper and having to explore his own conscience and the lengths he will go to get his own life back. But Death, has other plans for the naïve young executive.”
A Grim Becoming is, technically, classified as a horror-comedy; and this is pretty rough territory. It’s hard to find a decent horror-comedy because often times the writers think that more is better and products keep ending up looking like Scary Movie knock-offs. Luckily, having several writers on board of this production seems to have been a great idea. I feel that each of the writers had some sort of input, and ended up with a system of checks and balances that enabled the humor to come across smoothly, genuine and at all the right times. It’s not forced here, taking a more subtle approach that really works. I chucked several times. For this reason, all the cast featured inside this flick were able to give realistic, homey performances based off material given to them. It was a perfect combination.
I was blown away by the locations used throughout A Grim Becoming. From the opening shots at the serial killer’s house to the ending battle in a hotel lobby, all the locations were breath taking. Finding the right locations for a movie is crucial and once again A Grim Becoming hit the nail on the head. You don’t always need the scariest, most fucked up location or some yacht out on the ocean to make the budget look ten times bigger. You just need something that fits. The funeral home, the family home, Jessica Cameron’s dark domain, it was all superb shooting choices. Just to keep track so far, we have a great cast, a great script, and great locations. Can you tell me where this review is headed yet?
All of the technical aspects were professional and flawless, too. Except the audio in the beginning. I felt like it was a little distorted or too, too low. Besides that the crew pulled out all the stops to make this one superbly polished product. Great lighting, great scoring, different angles, computer generated images weren’t that hokey and the practical special effects were fantastic. This is really a huge nod to the director, Adam R. Steigert, and all of the producers who were somehow able to put together an expert team of individuals to create impressive movie magic. Again, I think that A Grim Becoming is going to get a big distribution deal in the future (if it hasn’t already) because of it’s high quality and production value.
Most of all, I want to congratulate the film for being original. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, 90% of films that are being released lately can be filed under “beating a dead horse with a stick.” At this point we’ve seen it all, but what really excites me as a viewer is seeing something new. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, or a bone chilling story with vomit inducing effects. A Grim Becoming succeeds because of its originality. You don’t see Grim Reaper movies that often, and I can guarantee you’ve never seen one even remotely close to the plot of this title. The movie could have gone in so many different directions, but it was innovative and new and that kept me interested. I mean, have you ever seen Grim Reapers battling in a hotel lobby before?
I’m so glad that Adam R. Steigert and Melantha Blackthorne passed me the online screener. This was a joy to watch and, honestly, it blew away all my expectations. I’m going to rate it a 8.5 out of 10. Fantastic! A Grim Becoming is an original, innovative comedy with horror and drama in all the right places. Such a great cast, too. Horror Society approved!
