Digging To Death, written and directed by Michael P. Blevins, has one thing that several films don’t: the courage of its convictions. It sets up the path the main character will travel, and it does not cop out at the end, concluding on the only note possible. This follow-through, which is not present in all cinematic excursions, helps the filmmaker engage audiences, as they will be riveted to see if he ends the movie the way the story suggests.
Said story follows David (Ford Austin), who’s moving into a new house because he’s getting divorced. His daughter, Jessica (Rachel Alig), comes over to help him unpack a bit and for the two to catch up. In preparing the new abode, David decides to put in a new septic tank. But when digging the hole for it, he comes across an unknown corpse (Tom Fitzpatrick) and $3 million in cash.
“Is David losing his mind over guilt, or has an undead being returned from the beyond to reclaim its millions?”
Knowing this fortune can help him and, more importantly, Jessica, out immensely, he decides to hoard the money. Now, David swears The Corpse is shambling about his home, causing him sleepless nights. The slow mental deterioration he faces causes severe issues at work for him. Is David losing his mind over guilt, or has an undead being returned from the beyond to reclaim its millions?
While there is a lot to enjoy in Digging To Death, the thriller does have a few problems. For one, David’s relationship with his best friend, Mark (Ken Hudson Campbell), is not explored enough, so their scenes together slow the momentum down. It feels like Mark is here to help the body count and no other reason. The same thing goes for Jessica’s boyfriend Zach (Bryan Dodds), who really only has one or two lines. He’s just there to possibly be killed, and it feels like it.
"…has one thing that several films don't: the courage of its convictions."
