Off Season – Review
By Lynn Sorel
Rating: 5 out of 10
Synopsis: Sylvie Stone takes refuge in an isolated beach hideaway after her husband is convicted of a sweeping act of financial fraud. A series of frightening occurrences lead her to discover she’s being stalked by a mysterious presence.
Our Thoughts: ‘Off Season’ is an interesting supernatural thriller that is a bit more complex than it appears on the surface, however the film fails to create the suspense it’s striving for.
Fearing she is being stalked by something sinister, Sylvie Stone finds herself paranoid of every little noise in her beach house. At first she thinks it might be her revenge seekers, but it becomes clear that it is something supernatural. It’s story is deeper than a lot of supernatural films, and at it’s heart is the story of a woman plagued by guilt for her part in the crime perpetrated by her husband.
Unfortunately ‘Off Season’ fails to create an effective atmosphere or achieve any real scares. Maybe due to it’s micro budget, but the film misses the mark in terms of suspense that it’s trying to reach. The ocean setting is perfect for the story, and one of my favorite parts of the film, however the low budget effects and straight forward film style take a toll on it’s effectiveness.
Most of the acting leaves much to be desired. Elizabeth Lee who played Sylvie gives the best performance in the film, and makes you feel for the character’s situation. Despite it’s short comings, I did enjoy the ending of the film and the story line overall. If you can get past the fact that the film has virtually no budget, ‘Off Season’ is an interesting film worth a watch.
