Some time after her mother’s death, Marie (Jocelin Donahue) receives a mysterious letter that calls her to the small coastal town where her mother is buried. As the town closes for the season, she and her significant other George (Joe Swanberg) become trapped with the peculiar townspeople, leaving Marie to uncover some dark secrets.
Offseason is an atmospheric and disorienting horror film that builds everything 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 plays well with the idea of this seaside, aquatic town, serving as a great example of Lovecraftian horror. There are some nicely executed frights, but I mostly enjoyed how Keating played with calm moments to offer optimal creepiness.
As the mystery continues to unravel, everything comes together perfectly in the end. And there is an absolutely incredible third act that had me fully sold. It almost feels like aquatic horror has had a renaissance in the last couple of years, and I think genre fans will definitely enjoy this new entry.
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