Based on the short story by horror icon Clive Barker, Dread isn't necessarily what you expect it to be. Gone are the iconic bloodbaths and ruthless murders that comprise much of Barker's previous work, replaced with the psychological state of preparing to be scared. The film is adapted and directed by first-time filmmaker Anthony DiBlasi, and while it isn't perfect, it is pretty damn close.
In the film, three friends by association join themselves together for a video thesis project that will get to the bottom of their subjects' deepest and darkest fears. The idea, crafted from the mind of Quaid, is a clever one, and Quaid's persuasive maneuvers convince both Stephen and Cheryl to reveal their own horrid pasts -and horrid is really putting the situation lightly. But Quaid isn't without his own emotional scars, all of which stem from a traumatizing encounter as a child that ended with the brutal murder of his parents.
While the film originally focuses in on Stephen as our leading man, its path soon detours, giving Quaid the lead as we venture into his past through a serious of sporadically placed flashback sequences. The scenes are vivid, especially when considering that each was experienced by a six year old boy. The blood, the guts, the gore; they are a prime example of a Clive Barker story. However, unlike his other stories, this one stays controlled within the mind, focusing on Quaid's strive to better understand his nightmares and memories by working on the project and delving into the distant past.
Shaun Evans' gives a haunting performance as Quaid; while Twilight's Jackson Rathbone gives a strong take as Stephen. Together, the two create a duo who realize each other's faults, but are brought together by their mutual respect for one another. They share a common bond with their troubled pasts, and while each have their moments of inexcusable behavior, each is able to look past it and see the 'normal' side of their 'friend.' Estrogen is present in the forms of Hanne Steen and Laura Donnelly, both of which hold their own in the dark and dreary tale.
It takes almost an entire hour before any of Shaun Evans' co-stars, or the audience for that matter, realize exactly what is going on inside his troubled mind, and even then their is little they can do to venture outside of his mind-set. His fascination with his own back-story will make your skin tingle, prompting you to sit up and anticipate the worst for all those around him. He takes immediate action, stopping at nothing to accomplish his original goals, leaving dead bodies and horrid images within the mind of his subjects.
About this time, the film really started to take off. The third act is full of mental terror, deteriorating your will as you sit and witness one of the most horrid acts to ever be preformed on a human being. For the sake of the film, I refuse to give away exactly what happens. Just know that after seeing this film, you will have no interest in any kind of steak product for days - yes, it is that disturbing.
Thankfully, the steak incident isn't the only highly prolific action within the final half hour as we get to see each of our leads break down under the stress of Quaid's trickery. The final scene is shocking and awesome as you stare in silence at exactly what has just happened. You put yourself in the shoes of those on screen and you scream internally to be let free, knowing that you would rather die than live through the terror that they have been subjected to.
In the end, Dread proves to be one of the most manipulative and slowly demoralizing psychological thrillers that I have ever had the privilege of witnessing on the big screen. It is not meant for everyone, and you will probably not feel anything until that fateful third act. But when it hits, it hits hard, and you have to be ready for it. If you aren't, then you are already as good as gone in the eyes of Quaid and director Anthony DiBlasi.
