In The Inhabitant, it’s October in Fall River, Massachusetts, and 17-year-old Tara Holden is suffering from a disturbing vision. In the vision, she brutally murders her baby brother, by killing him with an axe.
In addition to the vision, Tara is also convinced someone is continually going into her bedroom and moving her belongings. She has caught a glimpse of someone in her room, but she is unsure of who it is.
Noticing her daughter’s unusual and troubling behaviour, Tara’s mother begins to question Tara’s mental health. Tara’s family have a history of mental health issues, which have required significant medical intervention, and she believes her daughter could be experiencing similar troubles.
While Tara doesn’t want to believe she is heading down the same path, she is aware this is a significant possibility. Her family are descendants of Lizzie Borden – a 19th Century woman tried and acquitted of axe-murdering her father and stepmother – and many descendants of Borden appear to experience dark periods in their life.
To make matters worse, a local woman, who Tara has a connection with, has recently been murdered. The woman died after being brutally attacked with an axe.
Directed by Jerren Lauder, The Inhabitant stars Odessa A’zion, Leslie Bibb, and Dermot Mulroney. The film is a low-budget horror-thriller, which is new to the UK, and is available to buy through digital download from Monday 14th August.
The Inhabitant is a slow-burning picture with shades of a slasher story, and it includes a couple of nice touches. Those who are interested in stories centred around Lizzie Borden may get something out of it, and if you’re into fairly sedate horror, it could be worth a look.
But while the movie isn’t bad, and shows promise in places, it suffers from a significant lack of originality. The film also needs a lot more oomph in the story department, as well as in the pacing, and the overall action, and this becomes a big stumbling block.
Although The Inhabitant starts off OK, and tonally remains consistent throughout, at no point does it shift into the right gear or ever feel like it gets going. For all its efforts, the spark is missing, and without it, the film operates at one level and nothing more.
Where The Inhabitant works best is in the casting department, with the film’s three main stars, Odessa A’zion, Leslie Bibb, and Dermot Mulroney, all elevating the material. All three actors are no strangers to horror – A’zion for Hellraiser, Bibb for Trick ‘r Treat, and Mulroney for Scream VI – and all keep this picture ticking along.
Without this trio, The Inhabitant would be a much lesser film. With them, it at least boasts something which pushes it in the right direction.
OK, so it doesn’t quite reach its intended destination, but the actors do what they can with the material. All the way through the film it’s clear they are pushing things forward; the issue is the film itself isn’t quite up to scratch.
While director Jerren Lauder conjures up the right atmosphere, and The Inhabitant has a couple of decent moments, it does lack bite. I expect with a bit more money chucked its way things could have turned out better, but the script still needs another pass.
The Inhabitant will work for some horror enthusiasts, but I expect those looking for something more substantial will come away disappointed. So not a complete waste, but not particularly successful either.
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