The shadows gather around us once again. Take our hands and wander with us into the darkness where the monsters gather. We’re bringing you 31 horror reviews in October. Whatever you do, don’t let go of our hands lest you find out what truly goes bump in the night.
I have always been impressed with minimalist film making. With a talented cast and crew, a movie built around people talking can be just as suspenseful and thrilling as any big budget film. Think about it – so much of The Silence of the Lambs or Saw was just two people talking back and forth. While Pet doesnn’t reach the levels of those films, it is an effective example of reaching tension while making a low budget film.
Fifteen years after his debut as the hobbit Merry in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dominic Monaghan appears as Seth. He’s a socially awkward man who quietly works at his city’s Animal Control department and obsessed with a woman he noticed on the bus, Holly. After painstakingly searching through Holly’s online profiles, Seth attempts to ask her out and predictably, she turns him down. Seth then stalks Holly which leads to him getting beaten by her ex but during that encounter he manages to steal Holly’s journal. Reading her journal entries causes Seth to realize just what kind of person Holly really is.
Determined to save Holly from herself, Seth builds a steel cage for her inside of an empty area of the Animal Control building. Seth kidnaps Holly and the two of them… spend most of the movie talking and getting into each others’ heads. The story does bring in other actors and problems for Seth but you should be a fan of dialogue and characterization if you’re going to watch Pet.
It should be noted that much of this movie was shot on the same location as the previously mentioned Saw which was also largely about a couple of people in a room.
Pet is constantly creepy, at times violent and gory, sometimes suspenseful. The main characters turn in competent performances given the script but a number of logic problems hold the story down. It may be a worthy watch for those who prefer quitter horror films.
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