Death is something that always catches us off guard. It doesn’t matter how prepared you think you are in your heart; it still gets you in the end. A few years ago I had a friend who slowly watched his Grandmother head towards the door. Every day that we talked, he constantly talked about how prepared he was for her to go. He reached a point where he was mentally done with seeing her suffer. When she finally passed away, it still hit him hard. He would never see her again.
Even as an adult myself, it feels weird to acknowledge the impact of death on my own life. I lost a good majority of those close to me before I could even grasp what death was. I watched both of my parents lose their own parents and subsequently also go through the same waiting process before I was even an adult. They waited patiently for their parents’ agony to end. I remember particularly seeing how hard my grandmother’s walk to death was, while we waited in anticipation to see our loved one stop suffering.
Sometimes death comes swiftly and suddenly. She is a fickle mistress, who comes at a moment’s notice. Drunk driving in particular is interesting to look at: in 2016, drunk driving took the lives of 10,497 people according to the CDC. That’s over ten thousand lives forever changed in a moment’s notice. Death can be a prolonged experience, but it also comes at a moment’s notice. Cherish what you have today because we aren’t always promised a tomorrow. Jacob A. Ware’s Jamie experiences this exact tragedy during the events of An Unquiet Grave. Following a year of grieving, Jamie turns to the dark arts in order to resurrect his wife with her twin sister (Christine Nyland).
A large portion of Grave feels like a more condensed version of Pet Sematary. The only exception is that Grave focuses on a completely different dynamic, but still manages to hit all the beats that the classic Stephen King story laid out back in the 1980s. This creates an issue for those who have seen and/or read the classic King tale. You’ll find yourself predicting a lot of the plot points the movie lays out. If you haven’t seen or read the story then this might be right up your alley. The psychological aspect of the characters is surprisingly intimate and incredibly effective. But it’s the atmospheric approach of the story that makes the difference in Grave.
Without this aspect, the story would never elevate itself from seeming like a King rip off. Even at a brisk 75 minutes, the movie never feels like it drags. It consistently moves at a pace that beautifully reflects the film’s tone and lighting. Aside from a select handful of scenes, the majority of this movie takes place at night. Time is really only spent with two characters throughout the entirety of Grave. There is something special to be said about how this film tells its story. It almost comes across as a stage play the way in which it is staged and shot.
In the vein of high class theatre, the performance from Ware and the dual performances of Nyland are astonishing - especially Nyland, as she plays the dual role of twin sisters. What’s fascinating about Nyland’s performance is how virtually different both sisters actually are. Their mannerisms are those of two completely different people, resulting in a dual transformative performance from the young actress. The movie wouldn’t be as effective if it wasn’t for her performance. She illuminates every frame that she is on the screen.
Overall, An Unquiet Grave is a quiet, detailed look into grief with outstanding performances. The film’s narrative feels like it runs parallel with Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, which results in tiresome tropes and a narrative that is predictable at nearly every turn, but the lighting direction, staging, and intimacy of the character’s journeys still elevate the film to be a compelling drama. It just finds itself without horror. An Unquiet Grave doesn’t have a lot to say but it is an interesting character study at the very least.
RORSCHACH RATING:
Mental Health Moment: An Unquiet Grave has a plethora of thematic elements that fixate on grief. Nyland’s Ava, the living twin, showcases the healthier side of grief, while Ware’s Jamie demonstrates the darker side that grief can bring out of us. Jamie turns to black magic in an attempt to resurrect his wife, and he turns to some truly vile practices in order to accomplish his goal. Grief can make us desperate. We become incapable of placing into words the depth of sorrow we are experiencing. Communicating your emotions is the first step in the healing process following the death of a loved one. Someone close to me, who lost his parents, has turned me onto a great program I would love to recommend to anyone going through a recent loss. Grief Share is an excellent resource that allows you to connect in person with others experiencing what you’ve experienced. You’re not alone.
If you or someone you know is reading this right now and struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message, or tweet at us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. An Unquiet Grave is property of Shudder. We do not own nor claim any rights.
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