![]() ![]() Malik is both a person of colour and gay, and the hero of the piece, through Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman’s incredible portrayal of this well-rounded character, the audience will undoubtedly root for him as he goes to any lengths, he can to protect his family. ![]() It is important that people of colour have positive on-screen characters that they can identify with, in the same way, white people have had an abundance of horror heroes and heroines to admire for decades. While, race and sexuality shouldn’t be a factor, and all opportunities should be equal regardless, it is criminal that there hasn’t been enough representation within the genre on a wider scale for people from all walks of life. Spiral is very much birthed from the same ethos. In 2017, Get Out proved to be a trailblazer in mainstream horror cinema, featuring an African American protagonist at the helm, while making a stark, social commentary on societal prejudices and ignorance. They stand strong despite all they’ve faced in getting where they aim to be. Malik and Aaron are depicted as any other couple, career-driven, and navigating parenthood through the lens of stigma, they are portrayed in a down-to-earth light which is why it becomes so easy to root for them from the beginning. By setting the film in the mid- ‘90s, there’s the suggestion of a shift in attitudes surrounding homosexuality, but at the same time, there’s also a long way to go in the search for acceptance. With prejudices aimed at same-sex parents, grounded in ignorance, it is refreshing to see a positive representation of a non-traditional family dynamic and a window into how the characters feel through being judged by others while trying to live their lives in peace. What pulled me in following the preview at SoHome, was the naturalistic performances, evoking believability from the main characters. The film also features an excellent supporting cast, namely, Lochlyn Munro, Chandra West and, Ty Wood. This is down to the success of the script from co-writers, Colin Minihan (Grave Encounters), and John Poliquin (Shorts: Bitten and Selfie) and the performances from Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, especially, Ari Cohen, and Jennifer Laporte. Spiral is a film that makes it effortless to care for the characters and what they’re going through. The most rewarding element of a horror movie is when it features characters the audience can engage with and muster empathy for. Become absorbed into Malik’s plight as he unravels the incomprehensible mystery surrounding him. Do not read into the film in advance to experience its full throttle. It is highly recommended to enter this film spoiler-free. After viewing Spiral as a full piece, it certainly didn’t disappoint. With only the film’s opening moments teased, this was plenty to pique intrigue into wanting to find out more about the main characters and how the narrative was going to pan out. Spiral previewed at the SoHome (SoHo) Horror digital festival as part of its pride edition during lockdown. He is a new voice of the genre that’s one to watch out for, following his masterful work with this film. For Harder, Spiral comes across as an experienced, efficacious effort, carefully crafted, and undoubtedly professional. This is only the third movie under Kurtis David Harder’s directorial belt, having produced and written other projects, also. That said, once the film reaches the end, it will leave you reeling with so much to unpack. Through its slow-burn technique, it tightly grips the viewer in and does not lessen until the credits roll. ![]() Spiral is a breath-taking, intensely suspenseful thriller, with layers upon layers of depth when it comes to the characters and the slow-burning mystery that unfolds.ĭirected by Kurtis David Harder (Producer of Harpoon and What Keeps You Alive) Spiral is a masterstroke in psychological horror, powerfully engaging the audience throughout its 90-minute run-time. Their harmonious new beginnings doesn’t last long once Malik starts to suspect that something’s amiss with their new neighbours that threatens his own sanity to the core, and the foundations he’s carefully built with his partner and step-daughter. It’s the idyllic setting to raise their snarky, teenage daughter, Kayla (Jennifer Laporte) and a hopeful fresh start for their family. It’s 1995, and same-sex couple Malik (Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman) and Aaron (Ari Cohen) leave the big city behind in favour of the subdued, quiet life in a small town. ![]()
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