In the Tall Grass
IN THE TALL GRASS - Netflix
Another day, another Stephen King adaption drops out of nowhere for audiences to feast their eyes and ears upon. In the Tall Grass is the fourth Stephen King feature to be released this year after Pet Semetary, It: Chapter Two and Doctor Sleep. The latest adaption, based on the book of the same name by King and his son Joe Hill, is brought to NETFLIX by writer-director Vincenzo Natali, and — while not the most outstanding of motion pictures ever presented to the world — it is an intense and intriguing adaption of the iconic literary titan’s body of work.
In the Tall Grass is a maze of narrative peculiarity and convoluted delivery. Just when it all starts to make sense, it collapses upon itself in a rather compelling and entertaining fashion. The result is a palpable intensity of horror, but the film cannot keep up and has to introduce more and more elements to craft a bigger picture — ironically getting lost in a maze of chasing its tail. Granted, from the get go it is gothically atmospheric and delightfully engaging with enigmatic potential, but when push comes to shove less is always more.
The performances from Laysla De Oliveira, Will Buie Jr., Patrick Wilson and Avery Whitted all put forward engaging and engrossing performances, even if the vast amount of depth is made up on the spot. To each performer's credit, they all manage to put forward a compelling performance with little to work with in terms of detail — an element that adds to the vulnerability of the situation as well add a superb amount of mystery to each character's intentions and, ultimately, their trajectories.
Nevertheless, where In the Tall Grass falls foul is trying to tie up all loose ends and give the audience an underwhelming villain to serve more weight in the tension department. Such an inclusion overcrowds this intimate film and shifts the weight of intensity into a plutonic thriller. In the Tall Grass takes the most comfortable way out instead of introducing the much more adequate horror necessary to keep the shape of the feature intact for a far bigger fright fest.
In the Tall Grass is released exclusively on NETFLIX October 4, 2019.
