Dogged is unlike anything you’ve ever seen (in the best way possible)
By Jeremy Dick
Watching the horror flick Dogged is certainly an experience like no other, and it’s definitely the most intriguing indie film I’ve seen in years.
I had no idea what to expect when I started watching the upcoming UK indie movie Dogged. Described by director Richard Rowntree as a “modern folk horror film”, the micro-budget flick doesn’t puts aside typical horror jumpscares to focus on telling a unique, compelling story. And it’s one that will stick with you for a while.
Dogged centers on Sam, a young man returning to his island home from university on the mainlands to attend the funeral of a ten year old girl. It becomes clear to him quickly that something is very wrong, but the more Sam looks into it, the worse it becomes. But he might want to be careful, because the more he finds out about the truth, the story only gets worse and worse.
To say too much more may ruin some of the surprises Dogged has in store for you. And that’s something I really enjoyed about this movie. It gives you a solid mystery right up front… in this case, “What happened to Megan Lancaster?” It’s just as clear to the audience as it is to Sam that not everything is as it seems, and we’re right there with him on his journey to find some answers.
Courtesy of Richard Rowntree
The poster art is pretty amazing too. Just saying.
On the way to its haunting ending, Dogged gives us plenty of plot to keep the slow burn compelling. This includes an assortment of interesting (albeit strange) characters and the exploration of their relationships with one another. You’ve got the stern pastor’s daughter, whom Sam is secretly seeing; there’s the pastor’s son, who’s apparently hiding some dark secrets of his own; and there’s a mysterious woodsman wandering the town, whose motivations aren’t clear.
Oh, and there also seems to be psychopaths in the woods wearing freaky-ass animal head masks. That’s probably worth mentioning.
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Because getting to the heart of Dogged‘s mysteries makes up a big part of the fun in watching it, I won’t say anymore. What I can say is that this movie is unlike any other that I have seen, but in a truly wonderful way. The horror that this movie offers is psychological, and it just might stick around in your brain for some time to come.
Dogged is set to show at the Shawna Shea Film Festival in Massachusetts in early October. It will also be showing at the San Antonio Horrific Film Festival on Oct. 21, where’s it’s up for seven awards. The film is tentatively set to be released in early 2018.
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