Director – Mark Byrne (Bigfoot!, Mismatch)
Starring – Jim Krut (Dawn of the Dead, Return of the Slasher Nurse), Gus Zucco (Nightmare Next Door, Evil Twins), and Hillary Styer (V/H/S 2, My Boring Zombie Apocalypse)
Release Date – 2020
Rating – 2.5/5
Tagline – “The past…ever lasting”
I’ve made a lot of friends over the years because of Horror Society. Writing for the site has really opened the door to meet some really awesome people doing great things in the indie horror community. Many years ago I became friends with Matt Burns. Matt is dedicated to the genre and has his hand in so many projects that I would be here all day mentioning. His love for the genre knows no bounds.
Sometime back he contacted me to check out a new paranormal horror film starring Dawn of the Dead’s Jim Krut. Remnants, directed by Mark Byrne, looked like a fun one and I agreed to check it out. Thanks Matt for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to check it out.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows businessman Snap Nimzer (Krut) who has amassed a fortune from clearing out paranormal remnants. What he doesn’t know is that near him a portal to the other side has opened and something evil has escaped placing everyone in more danger than they already were.**Spoiler Alert**
I was really looking forward to Remnants. I was really excited to see Jim Krut in another horror film but I had no idea what the film had in store for me. As soon as I could I tossed it in but soon found myself not digging it which I hate. I feel like shit when someone sends me a movie to review and I end up not liking it. I really wanted to but there was some things that just didn’t work for me. Reviews, like many things in life, are subjective. Just because I didn’t like the movie doesn’t mean it’s bad. I don’t like oranges but most find them delicious so take this review with a grain of salt.
The acting in this one is very entertaining. Kim Krut’s character has some layers to him and Krut does a great job bringing those to life. The supporting cast does a great job as well. The characters are very likable and fun to watch regardless of the scene. You can tell the cast really had fun on set and they were very dedicated to their roles.
The story for this one is my biggest hang up with the film. I really like that the town the film takes place in is known for it’s paranormal activity. That works very well with the film’s protagonist, Snap, making a name for himself clearing out the remnants. Also, the family drama with his son and ex-wife trying to stop him from leaving his wealth to his niece also fits the film. However, the segments following the other characters and they mingle with the remnants does feel out of place. They could have been edited in a little better to give the film better pacing. The way it was edited does make the story feel a little confusing at times.
Finally, the film is not the bloody mess some of you are always looking for. The film itself relies heavily on story telling and character interactions to get the point across to the viewer but it does have some fairly decent practical effects scattered throughout. With that being said, there is some visual effects that stand out. Overall, Remnants is not for everyone. If you have an eye for the paranormal and looking for a character driven horror story then this one is for you. The story could use a little fine touches but it deserves at least one watch. Check it out.
