It's strange to say and write this, but Offseason is an unusual horror film, even by the standards of independent and auteur cinema. In watching it, director and writer Mickey Keating doesn't seem to have paid the slightest attention to how potential viewers will accept and understand the film. And, surprisingly, this indifference to the opinions of outsiders has benefited the horror film.
"Offseason " begins with the arrival of Mary and her friend George on an island far from civilization. The janitor of the cemetery informs her that unknown people have desecrated her mother's grave and that the matter must be solved urgently with her active participation. But mysterious things begin to happen there. Not only has the janitor disappeared without a trace, but the inhabitants are behaving very strangely. And the situation is complicated by the fact that, very soon, the drawbridge, the only access to the big world, will be lifted and the island will be in complete isolation until spring...
Many film critics actively criticize Micky Keating for his many borrowings. Without further ado, The Offseason is a purely fan story at the intersection of a fervent love affair with the works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft and the Silent Hill video game series. From the famous writer, the horror filmmaker borrowed the mythology and atmosphere of overwhelming space horror, and from the game series, the visual aesthetic of timelessness and dense fog.
But to criticize Keating's creation, you don't have to raise your hand or your tongue. The fact is that it is not a thing in itself, but a work elevated to the level of an absolute. Perfect in the sense that its creator has done everything to make it conform to his personal idea of beauty.
"Offseason" is an absolutely delightful horror film in terms of atmosphere. Somehow, as if by magic, the film not only mesmerizes you with the madness of what is happening in the frame, but also gives you a chill of fear. As you watch the film, it becomes clear that there is no point in expecting a happy ending: the protagonist's journey into darkness will surely end in personal, if not global, disaster. And in this particular case, the loss of sanity would not be such a high price to pay for life.
Also, despite the obviously modest production budget, The Intersection looks very good. There is no doubt that Micky Keating has directed this film with an absolutely insane attention to detail. And it's no exaggeration to say that every frame of the horror film is sanded and polished to a perfect shine.
Some may have obvious problems with the plot. Indeed, the story that forms the core of the film cannot be called original or at least novel. The events of the film unfold strictly according to the laws of the horror genre, and the obvious ending is seen long before the third act. But then again, there's nothing wrong with this predictability, simply because it doesn't raise any questions. Surely the director and writer intended the horror to be just that.
"Offseason " is a rare representative of independent cinema that not only didn't disappoint, but was far better than anyone could have hoped. A perfect horror film that is scary and doesn't irritate at all with clichés or a predictable ending. And the kind of film that the author has thought out to the last detail.
