If you look up the definition of slow burn in the dictionary, then you’ll find the movie poster above for Kris Roselli’s Hideout. This story goes from an angsty crime narrative to… well, something else entirely! It’s no surprise to me why VMI Releasing picked it up for a cable and VOD debut slated for November 9th 2021. Hideout has been killing it in the film festival circuit lately, and now it’s time to show the world that there is no safe place to squat. Written and directed by Kris Roselli, the plot follows a small group of amateur criminals who take over a remote farmhouse following a botched robbery. The family within seems friendly enough, even offering to help an injured conman, until it becomes clear that their intentions aren’t always good-natured. As violence in the farmhouse escalates to an alarming and disturbing rate, the now unwelcomed residents begin to understand that something evil is driving them off the deep end. But is it too late to break free? Produced by Tierney Boorboor, Kris Roselli and Mark Mattson, Hideout stars Bryan Enright, Audrey Kovar, Chris Wolfe, Katie Lyons and Janice Laflam. And what these people put together is crazy! Don’t Breathe meets Evil Dead!
Shot by Gibby Pictures, Hideout features cinematography by Omar Torres, editing by Kris Roselli and special effects by Rich Hill. Hideout is one of those flicks that comes along that reminds me that indie films doesn’t necessarily mean low budget films. Camera work is so much better than I was expecting, audio was flawless and I can’t find a single rough cut in the entire feature. And what’s great about Kris Roselli’s latest narrative is it’s such a simple concept that was brought to fruition without a bump in the road, as far as I can tell. I’m incredibly impressed by the behind-the-scenes crew and their decision-making process because this could have gone off the rails by doing too much with too little. Instead, Gibby Pictures & Co buckled down and focused more on quality and story-telling instead of typical horror troupes like jump scares and buckets and buckets of blood. With the top-notch production work and the undeniably chemistry between cast members, Hideout makes it difficult for me to find a criticism to harp on. It’s no surprise to me that it’s doing so well and winning awards at film festivals.
Now, obviously I need to dive into the actual horror elements for a second because that’s what fans are going to be looking for the most. Hideout is dark, dramatic and angsty; a crime drama filled with scowls and sighs and tense moments between characters. However, the horror and suspense are the definition of slow burning. They grow in tandem with the plot and pace of the movie. Hideout isn’t a movie that’s going to hit you with all its got right from the start. You’re going to need to buckle down and enjoy the story before you get to the scary parts. I don’t like to include spoilers in my reviews, except for the Don’t Breathe meets Evil Dead one I mentioned above… but once we get to the good stuff, it’s fantastic. Shout out to Rich Hill, VFX team and supervisor Kris Roselli for the “serpent” and “face” scenes and that’s all I’m going to give away. I think viewers will be surprised at the turn of events, and where this story goes from start to finish. A low body count is remedied only by the fact that the kills and maiming are well worth the wait. As depicted here, oftentimes true horror is at its worst when it’s the terrible acts that we do to each other.
Hideout is on demand and cable next week, November 9th 2021. Check it out!
Final Score: 9 out of 10.
