I’ll Take Your Dead

Archibald assembled a quality crew to bring his insane idea to life. Cinematographer Jeff Maher sustains a desolate, menacing atmosphere, the film filled with brown hues, jagged edges, dark silhouettes, and gloomily alluring imagery. Both Devine and Preston turn in convincing, passionate performances, the former winning us over despite the horrific acts he commits, the latter carrying every scene she’s in with aplomb. Archibald himself skillfully handles quieter moments, such as one involving a homemade blood transfusion.

“…skillfully handles quieter moments, such as one involving a homemade blood transfusion.”

While bound to satisfy the most savage of gore-hounds, the director wisely strays away from overtly gratuitous depictions of the basement’s grisly proceedings – which, granted, include dismemberments, beheadings and immersions into a tub full of acid. When spooky moments do come, they are undermined by clichés, like sped-up, cheap-looking zombies advancing towards the camera, and musical cues alerting us when to jump.

What’s more disturbing – and somewhat controversial – is the sight of a child being privy to such horror. Unfortunately, the ramifications of such traumatic exposure are never truly explored. The explanation provided as to why this otherwise-gentle man became a notoriously horrific butcher doesn’t quite justify him casually and continuously subjecting his daughter to the sight of mutilated corpses.

The life-like thriller, eccentric comedy, and outlandish horror elements don’t quite gel as well as intended, clumsily getting in each other’s way. Ironically, it’s the very hoard of genres that Archibald so gutsily blended that brings his otherwise-captivating film down.

I’ll Take Your Dead (2019) Directed by Chad Archibald. Written by Jayme Laforest. Starring Aidan Devine, Ava Preston, Jess Salgueiro, Brandon McKnight, Ari Millen.

6 out of 10