The majority of today’s horror films have straightforward stories that the masses can understand and either enjoy or dislike for what is there. Then, there are the horror films that are made for a certain audience, ones that the masses will most likely dislike or ignore for the simple fact that the audience is forced to think and come to its own interpretation, rather than just have fun. Call it art, call it the director’s way of bringing down the world around him, or what have you, but it’s usually these film that share an important message about society that many people will either shut out or not give two shits about. I Can See You is one of these films. The movie is not only a mind-bender with its psychedelic imagery. but it holds a message that is deeper than many would like to see in horror flicks.
When three young advertising executives try to craft with a pitch for their next ad campaign, they find themselves leaving their everyday city lives and heading into the woods on a camping trip. When a few female friends get involved, two of the men go off to have some fun and leave their work behind. When one of the girls goes missing, odd things begin to happen. The men’s client appears as a ghostlike hallucination to them. Trippy things begin to happen, and the film spirals into a psychedelic mind trap where reality seems to not exist, and the horrors of the mind begin to take control.
As I began to watch the film, I thought I was going to be in for a long night. Do not get me wrong; I love seeing Larry Fessenden in odd roles, such as the pitchman Mickey Hauser in this film, but when the film got rolling, it really dragged along for the first hour or so before its horrific and dramatic conclusion. This is not a story for everyone It drags along a lot at the beginning and I can see why many people dislike it. I, however, understood the undertones and where the film was going. There is a lot of underlying subtext in the story concerning everything from misguided drug use to consumerism, much as Romero’s Dawn of the Dead did in 1978.
Writer/Director Graham Reznick really puts his heart and soul into this film. It is more than just another horror film. It is a piece of art. Reznick is a sound designer by trade and this is his first feature film. You can see as a first-time director that, while the film may not be perfect, he knows how to develop a story, even with the film’s slow pace in the beginning. Where most directors fail is when it comes to directing actors. I cannot say that for Reznick. He does a superb job in not only directing his cast, but also bringing the viewer into this mind warp of a film. His use of style and effects also add to the films wild imagery, while he presents us with a story that grabs us with the attention to certain social issues that seem to be the foreground for the film’s basis.
The film has some great production value, although it appears to have been made on a fairly low budget and you get that feeling that you are watching a low budget horror film from the early seventies. The use of music and sound effects, not surprisingly, considering that sound design is Reznick’s specialty, are great and really add to the film’s action and deep suspense and horror. The use of both visual and make-up effects are also the basis for the film’s wild and disturbing conclusion, which leaves the viewer thinking about what they just watched.
The DVD includes plenty of special features. One of the bonus items is Graham Reznick’s short 3-D film, (two pairs of 3-D glasses included), entitled The Viewer. The disc also comes with director, cast and crew audio commentaries; behind the scenes featurette; deleted scenes and a stills gallery.
I Can See You is not an average, every day horror flick. The film requires thought and multiple viewings to really grasp the overall concept. I, for one, had to phone a friend who had previously reviewed the film for his site to discuss the concept behind the film and what the message was that Graham Reznick was trying to achieve. After much discussion, we believe we got both got it right, but it’s up for debate. This is one of those horror films that requires thought. Much like a David Lynch or David Cronenberg film, this film is not for everyone, but if you have an open mind and are up for a challenge, it may be right up your ally.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
