The Gallows
2015 · Directed by Travis Cluff, Chris Lofing
Original language: English
- horror
The story
20 years after a horrific accident during a small town school play, students at the school resurrect the failed show in a misguided attempt to honor the anniversary of the tragedy - but soon discover that some things are better left alone.
What it’s like
Shaky handheld camcorder footage in dim, sickly fluorescent light gives this film the look of something recovered from a dead teenager's hard drive: grainy, overexposed in the wrong places, and full of empty school corridors, a cramped backstage, and a gym lit by a single work lamp. The sound is mostly diegetic and cheap-sounding, with cell-phone chatter, hallway echo, and sudden jolts of stinger noise rather than a developed score, so silence tends to feel like the prelude to something. The mood is raw, jittery dread with a thread of teenage bravado and grief, and the tension builds in long stretches of wandering before a sharp, bloody scare breaks it. Violence is frequent and graphic in its bursts, including a hanging, injuries, and a gory supernatural finale, though the gore is more pulpy than prolonged. Pacing is restless and escalating, the kind that suits a late-night watch with the lights off or a group horror session with friends. It is best for found-footage fans who enjoy teen-cast slashers and supernatural shocks, and it is a poor fit for anyone wanting something gentle.
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