Synopsis:
Counting down his last days as Chief of Police in the small town of Lone Crow, John Hawkins must investigate one final case when a mangled body washes up on the shores of the Porcupine River.
Based on the award-winning book by Nick Cutter, the Canadian feature film The Breach is directed by Rodrigo Gudiño (The founding editor of Rue Morgue) and stars the talents of Emily Alatalo, Allan Hawco, and Mary Antonini. The soundtrack was written and performed by Slash (Guns N’ Roses), who is also an Executive Producer on the film.
The Breach is a strange beast; something very Lovecraft-inspired and channelling the energy of films like From Beyond (1986) coupled with the body-horror of other classics like The Fly (1986). It is definitely a homage to these aforementioned films while still maintaining its modernity. The film’s reliance on prosthetics and practical effects over CGI definitely added to that retro feel. It almost felt like I needed to rewind the movie and pop it back in its case once I was done.
It is not all nostalgia and fun effects though. The Breach doesn’t only follow tried and tested plotlines—it outright abuses film tropes and brings very little in the way of originality to the mix. From satanic scientists at CERN to body-snatching dimensional beings, The Breach tosses in the same overused plot hooks and backstories we’ve seen a hundred times before. Even the actors occasionally seemed bored with their cookie-cutter characters.
Now, some will preach the “If it ain’t broke…” adage here and while I agree to a certain degree, the rule of thumb is that you need to change the answers slightly when copying someone else’s homework and there just wasn’t enough of a change here. A little bit of innovation and originality would have gone a long way for me.
This all means that The Breach comes across more as a great B-movie but not really a good film. It has all the elements that make those whacky B-horrors fun to watch but it lacks the nuance and maturity that really define great modern horror films. It’s a fun homage to the horrors of the 80s but it could have done more to stand out or set itself apart. It is still enjoyable for what it is, especially if you—like me—have a soft spot for those gory and grotesque horror movies of old.
Thanks for reading and as always, stay sordid. The Breach will be available to own or rent from July 10th on Amazon, Sky Store, Virgin Media, AppleTV and Google Play or on DVD. You can click here to preorder a digital copy or here to order physical media. The trailer and poster are below.
