Writer-director Tyler Chipman’s feature debut, The Shade, is either a sequel/companion piece to the short of the same name or an expanded version of it. Having not seen the brief, I don’t know for sure. Either way, the full-length version runs an epic 2 hours and 7 minutes long, including credits. Does the story justify such a running time, or was some trimming needed?
Ryan (Chris Galust) is a 20-year-old who is in over his head at home. Ever since his dad passed away, his family has been wayward. His mother, Renee (Laura Benanti), drowns herself in work, barely ever being home. This means it is up to Chris to get his little brother, James (Sam Duncan), to school on time and all that. This is on top of Ryan’s college classes, work, going to therapy with Dr. Huston (Michael Boatman), and trying to spend time with his girlfriend Alex (Mariel Molino). So it is no wonder that the re-emergence of the family’s golden child, older brother Jason (Dylan McTee), gets under Ryan’s skin so much. It certainly doesn’t help that Jason is mum about why he dropped out of school mid-semester. Nor does Jason’s antagonistic demeanor toward everyone, save James, make his transition back home any easier.
But Jason’s return is fraught for an entirely different reason. It would appear that he brought a demon or malevolent presence with him. Or at least, that is what Ryan comes to believe. Otherwise, why is he seeing a decrypt, twisted woman on the other side of Jason’s bed? Why are his panic attacks getting worse and worse every night? Has Ryan lost his mind, or is something supernatural torturing him and his older brother?
“…why is he seeing a decrypt, twisted woman on the other side of Jason’s bed?”
It is a good hour or so into The Shade before the supernatural/demonic elements really come into play. There are hints and glimpses of the thing, be it real or imagined, until that hour mark to be sure. However, Ryan’s slow spiral into madness, or his desperate attempts to save his loved ones, does not become the focus until then. The film is very much a character study up to that point and mostly works on that front. Ryan is empathetic and sympathetic, making him the ideal person for this story. His interactions with James are adorable and authentic. Renee’s overwhelmed feeling by trying to keep up with the bills lands well despite her overall limited screen time. Unfortunately, Jason lands on the slimmer side of things. He’s just angry and frustrated, but why? It never totally makes sense, even when the reveal happens.
That isn’t to imply McTee is bad in the part. He’s brooding and menacing appropriately. Duncan is adorable and fun, coming off as an actual kid, not some movie child. Galust is great as the put-upon, possibly paranoid lead. He’s likable yet terse. He finds the right balance between the subtle frustrations of everyday life and the terrifying nature of what’s happening around him.
Brian McOmber’s score is excellent, selling the drama and horror perfectly. The lighting throughout is also immaculate. As more supernatural craziness befalls the main character, the lighting gets darker and more somber. The use of shadows begins to play a more significant part during this time as well, crafting an ever-creepier movie as things play out.
The Shade is long, but it spends most of its time wisely by focusing on the characters. By the time the horror comes into full effect, viewers have a complete understanding of these people and are scared on their behalf. The lighting and music are immaculate and used to excellent effect. This is a strong and engaging debut from a filmmaker with much promise and a lot of style.
"…a strong and engaging debut..."
