Some time after her mother’s death, Marie (Jocelin Donahue) receives a mysterious letter that calls her to the small coastal town where she is buried. As the town closes for the season, she and her significant other George (Joe Swanberg) become trapped with the bizarre townspeople, leaving Marie to uncover some dark secrets.
Offseason is an atmospheric and disorienting horror film that builds everything so beautifully, with a great payoff in the end. Director and screenwriter Mickey Keating has really presented a well-balanced and unsettling experience for the viewer, that captures a lot of the same moodiness from classic films within the genre.
It’s a great example of Lovecraftian horror, playing well with the concept of its seaside, aquatic town. There are some nicely executed frights, but I mostly enjoyed how Keating played with calm moments to offer optimal creepiness. And as the mystery continues to unravel, everything comes together so perfectly in the end; with an absolutely incredible third act that had me fully sold.
It almost feels like aquatic horror has had a sort of renaissance in the last couple of years, and I think genre fans will definitely enjoy this new entry. I wasn’t able to find any information on a potential release yet, but I really do hope to see this one available soon.
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