Director: John Boggi
Production Company/Distributor: None
Genre: Horror/Drama
Running Time: 69 minutes 39 Seconds
Expected/Actual Rating: PG-13 due to language & adult situations
Website: Facebook
Trailer: Click Here
Online Rent: TBA
Online Purchase: TBA
Reviewer: Jeremy T. Hanke
Final Score: 5.0 (out of 10) – A first feature film which may appeal to folks who like Lynchian experimentalism.
When Jake (Ken Sandberg), Byron (Owen McCuen), and Jack (Glenn Mercer) come to a forest reserve for a weekend retreat at a cabin, they’re surprised to meet an over enthusiastic forest ranger (Brian Holcomb) who warns them about the dangers of a mysterious area known as “Apple Island.”
Upon arriving at their cabin and getting settled, they are further surprised to meet Angela (Jacqueline Holloway) and her sister, Nora (Heather Cole), two young women who need a place to stay for the night—and who are mysteriously linked to a dark part of Apple Island’s sordid past.
Story
The overall storyline isn’t one that’s terribly original, as the core plot—a witch’s spirit haunts a woods and desperate people help her recreate a murder from the past in exchange for a blessing—is as old as Americana. (Movies like The Blair Witch Project and the Conjuring spring to mind.) However, repetition is something that’s used throughout horror tropes, and isn’t necessarily negative.
However, the part that is problematic in this film is the pacing and the editing (which highlights problems with the acting), which leaves you feeling awkward in a way where you want to stop watching, not creeped out and fearful. (Additionally, even though I love well done narration, the use of narration in this film from the perspective of two of the leads was a mistake.)
The standout of this film in term of presence and acting had to be Ken Sandberg, who reminded me a lot of The Vampire Diary’s Paul Wesley. With that said, he wasn’t give much to do as far as acting, beyond just being present.
Watchability
This is a David Lynch-inspired horror film, but with a greater number of places that drag or go on too long. (There was a post death scene that literally cut between three different static shots for what felt like 15 minutes, even though, in reality, I’m sure it was less than three.)
While I did get through it, it wasn’t that easy and I honestly don’t know if the ending, although it was logical for the story being told, justified watching through the film. (To be fair, I did feel the same way about the endings to Richard Linklater’s Slacker and David Lynch’s Eraserhead.)
How Far Did you Watch Through It:
100%
This was one of the few movies where I actually did debate turning it off at two different spots: about 15 minutes in (because it’s a very slow intro with some of the most awkward pacing occurring here) and about 47 minutes in (where the pacing becomes extremely awkward again, including one of the characters refers to Angelas as being a bit “hoe-baggy” when talking about her to her “brother”).
For both situations it was because things were dragging on in such a painful and non-productive way. I did get through it because, frankly, it didn’t have enough technical issues for me to justify turning it off. (i.e. I could hear what was being said and, although it was a little too dark in its lighting, I could make out most of what was happening on screen.)
Closing Thoughts
If David Lynch’s Eraserhead is your favorite midnight movie and you like experimental cult films full of uncomfortable conversations, strange acting, bizarre props, and odd editing, then The Barren Pine is the movie you’ve been waiting for!
For myself, though, this is a pass.
Final Score (out of 10):
5.0 – A first feature film which may appeal to folks who like Lynchian experimentalism.
Jeremy T. Hanke
The director of two feature length films and half a dozen short films, Jeremy Hanke founded MicroFilmmaker Magazine to help all no-budget filmmakers make better films. The second edition of his well-received book on low-budget special effects techniques, GreenScreen Made Easy, (which he co-wrote with Michele Yamazaki) is being released by MWP in fall 2016. He's curently working on the sci-fi collaborative community, World of Depleted, and directed the debut action short in this series, Depleted: Day 419 .