The story is pretty ambitious, but entirely original. In the new film, the original film exists and was a fictionalized retelling of murders that did actually occur in Texarkana. The people of the rural traditionally Southern town show the movie annually at a drive-in, unabashedly honoring the murders by entertaining themselves, almost mocking the grim account. Enter Jami (Addison Timlin, Odd Thomas), a shy girl who is a bit of an outcast due to a mental break caused by her parents deaths. Shes on a date with the town renowned golden boy, Corey (Spencer Treat Clark, The Last House on the Left), and they head out to the local makeout point, conventionally located smack dab in the middle of the woods. We meet The Phantom and he acts fast, murdering Corey, and chasing Jami out into the woods. He lets her live so she can spread a message: the town needs to remember.
The movie is excellently paced. The scenes with the Phantom are adrenaline filled, high tension runs that move swiftly and violently. The film spares no gore, as blood is splashed around bountifully, and its not all just brutal hacking. Some of the most gruesome moments come about in the chase, showcasing vicious moments of pure human brutality and exploiting the fragility of people. The Phantom comes across as a monster on screen, his sheer physicality makes him terrifying, and his terror is further complimented by his harsh and brusque dialogue.
Timlin is a powerful lead. She has all the markings of a true final girl. She is strong willed, intuitive, and intelligent. She fends for herself and never lets anyone boss her around. She nails the doe-eyed damsel look when she needs to but also puts up a good fight. Gary Cole and Anthony Anderson both play different law enforcement roles and are fun additions to the cast, both overacting but with tongue-in-cheek the whole time.
The real magic of the movie is in the cinematography, having fun with different camera tricks such as reflective surfaces and 360 pans. It plays off many traditional horror tropes but seems to breath new life into them, managing to create tension from moments you may have seen a dozen times before. Cinematographer Michael Goi deserves as much credit as director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and the powerhouse producers, crafting some truly beautiful and hair raising scenes.
Overall, the movie is a blast. Its well-written, wonderfully directed and led by a solid female protagonist. The story is very original but pays homage to its predecessor. It sags a bit in the third act and honestly the Phantom is so horrifying that it would have been nice to see him get more screen time. It rides the line between classic slasher and new age American splatter fest, delving into both territories without ever become too exaggerated by either.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown has snuck itself into the genre as one of the best scary movies of the year.
