Writer/director Aaron Christian Paderewski and co-writer Jason Usry roll out a slow-burning horror thriller with The Sins Beneath. A New York family moves to a beautiful new property, in part in hopes of easing the simmering tension within. The father, Darren (Willie Raysor), has procured the house and lands for his wife Marie (Jana Allen), their two daughters, Renee (Meagan Lynn) and Sally (Ziona Shaw), along with Marie’s mother, Brenda (Cindy Hogan). Renee is 17 and acts out accordingly. Sally is a fearless child, and Brenda is clearly unhappy about both the new home and her son-in-law, Darren. There are hints of racism from Brenda, as Darren is Black. But he’s deferential to her, out of respect for his wife.
When a strange man named Pete (Ryan King) confronts Sally in a tent in the yard, it becomes clear that there is something odd about this place. Renee’s new boyfriend, Ian (Parker Sack), is a bad influence, getting her to make out with him at a remote location instead of going to school. When a plumber named Travis (Paderewski) arrives to investigate the black ooze emerging from the ground, he reveals the grim history of death and burial on the property to the family. Travis seems disturbed when introduced to Darren, refusing to shake his hand. The mixed-race couple begins to feel a strange vibe, as it becomes clear they won’t get a warm welcome from everyone in the neighborhood.
Soon, the family bears witness to several apparitions, which infect their minds with horrific visions. Brenda sees a hooded man pointing at a door, and she opens it to see what’s inside. Darren begins to exhibit paranoid behavior, accusing Marie of flirting with the plumber. He calls his friend Tony (Jimmie Cummings) out to look at the plumbing. Tony shows Darren the graveyard on the property and tells him the spirits of the dead roam the grounds. Darren shrugs this off as a ghost story, setting the stage for the frightful events ahead. From here on out, the story shows its teeth. Throughout it all, Brenda serves as the snarky Greek chorus, chiming in on all the family drama, seemingly enjoying it when trouble rears its head.
“Tony shows Darren the graveyard on the property and tells him the spirits of the dead roam the grounds.”
The production values are good throughout The Sins Beneath. The cinematography stands out. Many indie horror films are shot in low-light conditions, and Paderewski follows that trend. However, unlike many other low-budget outings, enough light is used to make the action clear. The narrative cruises along in a mysterious fog, and it remains unclear through most of the film who (or what) is evil and who is just a regular a*****e. However, the story, trope-heavy as it might be, does not answer everything it brings up.
The soundtrack is appropriately moody and adds to the atmosphere. The performances are all quite good. Raysor is a solid everyman, and King is very creepy in his scenes. Hogan is clearly having fun. The music and acting work together to build suspense.
Many questions remain a mystery, but the supernatural vengeance is struck through with undertones of racial strife, which is enticing. With hints of The Amityville Horror, The Sins Beneath is a fine, deliberate, atmospheric suspense feature that proves it does not require a big budget to deliver the thrills and chills.
"…a fine, deliberate, atmospheric suspense feature that proves it does not require a big budget to deliver the thrills and chills."
