The Shed (2019) Review
Reviewed by Jesse Miller, MoreHorror.com
Meet Stanley (Jay Jay Warren), your average teenage dude up against the world. Between dealing with his abusive grandfather, being bullied at school and facing unrequited love, he just can’t catch a break in life.
Just wait till he discovers there’s a vampire nesting in his grandfather’s shed out the back.
Yeah, THE SHED is not the most appealing of titles and yet, there’s something about it’s simplicity that makes me think fondly back on the old horror paperbacks of the 80’s, right down to the font of the film and the poster artwork.
From the opening minutes, it is evident that Writer / Director Frank Sabatella is aiming to evoke that mood. From some Nosferatu-esque vampire design to the fog rolling in on the setting to the characters themselves, the film plays like Salem’s Lot meets Fright Night by way of The Lost Boys.
There’s a ghoulish sense of glee to the tale being woven, right down to the bitchin’ rock soundtrack, grotesque effects and the rapid-fire delivery of dialogue from the cool cast of characters.
The characters themselves feel lived in and lifted from the pages of a Stephen King novel, thanks to a strong cast. Cody Kostro brilliantly embodies Stanley’s bullied best friend Dommer, while Jay Jay Warren rises to the challenge of portraying a wide range of emotion across Stanley’s arc in the film.
They’re backed up by a terrific supporting cast, among them character actor Frank Whaley, who sinks his teeth into a delightful little part, while Sofia Happonen makes her film debut as Stanley’s love interest Roxy and kicks all kinds of ass in the role.
The Shed is certainly a fun little vampire flick, with high energy, a charismatic cast and slick visuals, but often feels distractingly familiar to the aforementioned films it’s tipping it hat to.
Maybe this is just me being fickle but I would’ve liked to have seen it establish its own voice and identity while still managing to retain its ode to vampire films and pulpy airport horror novels.
Nevertheless, it’s an entertaining watch with a cast and crew to look out for in the future to come.
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