The Dead Center
Reading time: 1 minute
Director: Billy Senese
Cast: Shane Carruth, Poorna Jagannathan & Jeremy Childs
It's always a real pleasure to stumble across a gem like this every now and again. I saw it mentioned in a Twitter conversation months ago and after Googling the trailer, my interest was peaked and it was certainly worth the wait.
After an apparent suicide, the body of a John Doe (Jeremy Childs) is left at the morgue. However, old J.D splutters back to life and escapes. Confused and stumbling around, he ends up in a psychiatric ward where is admitted by a caring, but troubled doctor (Shane Carruth).
Meanwhile, a medical examiner (Bill Feehely) who now has no body to autopsy, decides to find out for himself just what happened to it.
Carruth is a compelling and relatable lead here, convincing as someone who is tired of battling the system and cuts corners to help his patients. Child's is an imposing physical presence which in itself can be unsettling, but his bug eyes and pained expressions, certainly make for creepy viewing - as does the opened mouthed horror his victims die with one their faces. Like those seen in Ringu but bloodier.
It's also worth noting that the film doesn't try to explain how and why Childs monster has come into being, and I love it when it's left to the imagination.
There are no cheap jumps shocks here, just a foreboding atmosphere that slow burns its way to a upsetting and corpse laden climax. Highly recommended.
The Verdict: 4/5
The Dead Center is available on DVD now.
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