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The Covenant
USA 2016
produced by Robert Conway, Justin L. Anderson for FunHouse Features
directed by Robert Conway
starring Monica Engesser, Owen Conway, Clint James, Sanford Gibbons, Maria Olsen, Shawn Saavedra, Richard Lippert, Amelia Haberman, Chris Mascarelli, Laura Durant, Liz Manning, Sedona Feretto, Susan Rienzo, Greg Lutz, Cat Hartmann, Dan Weisgerber, Thomasina Daniels, Cindy Sullivan, Jason Mar, Robert Donorfio, Alan Gagne, Molly Cornwell, Heather Olson
written by Robert Conway, Owen Conway, Christopher R. Smith, music by Gian Marco Castro, special effects by Cat Bernier
review by Mike Haberfelner
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A year ago, Sarah (Monica Engesser) has lost her daughter Elizabeth
(Amelia Haberman), who was suffering from terminal leukemia, because she
drowned in the bath tub, upon which Sarah's husband (Chris Mascarelli)
blew his brains out, but not before accusing Sarah of having killed
Elizabeth. Sarah hasn't gotten over it since, but now her brother Richard
(Owen Conway), who has only just won a battle with alcoholism, has decided
to take care of her, and thus the two move into their (deceased) parents'
home for a try at normalcy. But Sarah doesn't manage to get over it just
because she wants to, she soon starts to see Elizabeth every now and
again, and even that's impossible, she doesn't believe Richard's
explanation to the contrary. Soon, she starts to freak out the neighbours,
too, and a priest (Sanford Gibbons) Richard calls upon only suggests an
exorcism. Also, Sarah starts to cut herself - deeply - but her wounds heal
with inhuman speed. Richard tries his best to handle everything thrown at
him, but he soon feels like a fish out of water, and a mysterious man in
black (Richard Lippert) giving him weird advice and freaking him out isn't
exactly helping, nor is the fact that he starts to believe that Sarah has
actually drowned Elizabeth on purpose. And of course, he eventually starts
to drink again, and somehow (and rather by the use of magic) Sarah tricks
him into having sex with her, upon which she gets pregnant, a pregnancy
that she goes through with rapid speed - and that at last is too much for
Richard, and he calls upon an exorcist (Clint James) - but can even he
help, or is it much too late already? Genre fave Maria Olsen plays a
bible-thumping neighbour who meets a particularly grisly end! The
Covenant is a rather ingenious piece of horror, as it leaves its
audience guessing for the longest time while never dropping its narrative
and at the same time taking its time to properly build up the story and
let the suspense build up the slow-burn way, up to a no-holds-barred
finale. A very restrained directorial effort helps a lot here, as do solid
performances - and all this results in a really nice, really creepy horror
movie!
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