Don't be fooled by the fact that this does not have an R-rating as this is a scary flick that features monsters, possession, and violent murder. I would not normally have gone for this when idly scouring the video store shelves but I recently read a positive review in Rue Morgue Magazine so I decided to give it a go. Before I could say "Bull Durham", I found myself ensorcelled by this tale of a family who move into a new home only to have the daughter become much moodier than your average teen thanks to a mysterious mound of dirt in the backyard. Director Luis Berdejo has already proven himself to horror fans as one of the co-writers of [Rec] and clearly wants to show that he can scare us as much with images as he can with words. He does not disappoint.

Kevin Costner stars as John James, a single father who is trying to start over with his son Sam (Gattlin Griffith) and daughter Louisa (Ivana Baquero) after a nasty divorce. They move into a large, secluded house in what looks like the southern U.S. and John does his best to help his kids adjust to the change. Sam is pretty easygoing but Louisa has a chip on her shoulder and alternates between being a loner and being rude to her dad. After exploring the backyard one day, Louisa becomes obsessed with the aforementioned mound and hangs out on it whenever she gets the chance. The mound is obviously not a good place as unsettling noises come from it at night and Louisa slowly changes in negative ways as though she is becoming possessed. John does his best to manage what is happening with his daughter but the more he researches the back story of the area, the more he realizes that his problem is much more than just hormones. The tension continues to build and the movie careens to a ending that could compete with The Mist as one of the biggest downers of the new millennium. As a big fan of 70's movies, I loved it.

I have to admit that seeing Costner's mug on the cover of this flick was a turn-off and I don't even know why. When looking at his filmography, he has not made that many terrible flicks and frankly he should be commended for taking some chances with movies like Waterworld, 3000 Miles to Graceland, and now this one. Costner was born to be a leading man, he has mixed up the romantic comedies with adventures and thrillers, and he rarely phones in a performance. This is more than I can say about a lot of Hollywood talent. He is super-confident as an actor and fits right into this role as a troubled father contending with really freaky creatures. Equally great are the children who are both naturals. Genre fans will recognize Baquero from the amazing Pan's Labyrinth and Griffith has a quality that makes you forget he is just a child. Samantha Mathis (Pump Up the Volume) and the underrated Erik Palladino (Dead & Breakfast) also show up in supporting roles.

It is so great to see a horror movie that is actually scary. I have had big issues with this over the last decade and it seems as though the filmmakers and studios are finally starting to go back to what made horror a genre in the first place. Even though they may have a place in a some movies, silly jokes and goofy gore gags should not define a genre that is supposed to give you nightmares. That seems to be what has happened in the post-Scream years but movies from Europe and Japan are taking the genre back. Directors like Berdejo understand that fear is what makes horror what it is and in movies like this one do what they can to bring that feeling back to us. The fact that audiences are starting to crave this rush again gives me hope that the genre is once again resurrecting itself for another classic era. I think we are going to look back at the period we are currently in as another prime time for the genre as all these new directors such as Berdejo, Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In), Neil Marshall (The Descent), and Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza ([Rec]) are just getting started. (Josh Pasnak, 9/1/10)

Directed By: Luis Berdejo.
Written By: John Travis.

Starring: Kevin Costner, Ivana Baquero, Gattlin Griffith, Samantha Mathis.