Watch Death on Scenic Drive
- 2017
- 1 hr 15 min
-
2.7 (144)
Death on Scenic Drive, a horror movie from 2017, takes its title from the beautiful and peaceful road that runs through the forest in the Canadian countryside where most of the film is set. The quiet and reflective environment of Scenic Drive is precisely the setting that the film tries to undermine, as it tells the story of a woman named Larissa (played by Stephanie Ash) who moves to a small house in the woods to work on her thesis in psychology. Larissa is an aspiring therapist who is trying to create a new and groundbreaking theory of dissociative identity disorder based on her own traumatic experiences. However, her solitude and contemplation are soon disturbed by a series of strange occurrences that happen around the house.
At first, these incidents seem to be just accidents or tricks of the imagination, like the flickering of lights and the occasional noise from the surrounding wilderness. However, as Larissa starts to dig deeper into the history of the area, she discovers that the house she is living in belonged to a family that suffered a terrible tragedy years before. Moreover, she starts to suspect that something or someone is watching her and trying to communicate with her through cryptic messages and symbols.
The movie focuses on Larissa's psychological journey as she tries to understand the source of her fears and anxieties. Part of her therapy involves inducing herself into the same trauma that she is trying to understand, which leads her to experience some terrifying and gruesome visions that blur the line between fantasy and reality. Ry Barrett plays the role of Bill, a local handyman who befriends Larissa and helps her with her research. Bill provides some comic relief and a down-to-earth perspective on the supernatural phenomena that Larissa is encountering, but he also has some secrets of his own that add to the mystery of the plot.
Jessica Vano plays the role of Kayley, a former resident of Scenic Drive who has a troubled past with the family that used to live in Larissa's house. Kayley is the one who gives Larissa some crucial information about the house's history and the events that led to the family's tragedy. However, Kayley's testimony is also suspect, and Larissa must decide whether to trust her or not.
The movie is directed by Colin Theys, who is well-known for his work in the horror genre. Theys uses the forest landscape and the rustic interiors of the house to create a sense of isolation and unease that permeates the entire narrative. The camera work and the lighting are carefully crafted to create a contrast between the idyllic scenery of Scenic Drive and the dark and ominous atmosphere of Larissa's house. Theys also plays with various horror tropes, such as jump scares, ghostly apparitions, and sudden twists, but he does not rely on them too heavily. Instead, he builds the suspense slowly and patiently, letting the audience's imagination fill in the gaps.
Overall, Death on Scenic Drive is a well-executed horror movie that offers a fresh take on the haunted house subgenre. It features a strong performance by Stephanie Ash, who manages to convey the emotional turmoil of her character convincingly. The movie also benefits from its location and its cinematography, which make it visually striking and immersive. Fans of horror movies will find plenty of thrills and chills in Death on Scenic Drive, so long as they are patient enough to let the story unfold at its own pace.
Death on Scenic Drive is a 2017 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 15 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 2.7.