ReadNOW

A pregnant realtor is stalked by a cruel killer at a distant open home in Push, the newest movie from horror directing duo David Charbonier and Justin Powell. Followers of the administrators’ earlier movies The Djinn and The Boy Behind the Door will probably be happy with the moody cinematography, sharp digicam work and respectable bounce scares. However it’s a gutsy lead efficiency from Alicia Sanz that retains the movie compelling when the narrative dramatically falters and a puzzling change of surroundings pops the established pressure like a balloon.

The movie opens in Barcelona in 1993, as Natalie Flores (Sanz) lies in mattress together with her American boyfriend, Matt (David Alexander Flinn), speaking about breaking away from her controlling household and setting a brand new course as a pair. Then their tender second is shattered by the ugly reveal of Matt’s destiny: Matt was tragically killed in a automotive accident, leaving Natalie pregnant and alone.

An Open Home Nightmare

Eight months later, in Northern Michigan, Natalie drives by means of desolate mountains to a secluded mansion. She posts a “For Sale” signal together with her info at a bend within the highway earlier than arriving on the residence’s metal gates. Natalie dutifully walks by means of the home cleansing up mud and opening curtains. She locations shiny flowers in a vase on the entrance with a basket of muffins. Hours move and nobody reveals up. Natalie is about to go away when a knock on the door alerts a possible consumer (Raúl Castillo).

Charbonier and Powell body their protagonist with early exposition that explains why Natalie could be in such a probably harmful scenario within the first place. Natalie needs to show that she will make it on her personal, and her innate warning as a near-term pregnant lady is dispelled on account of her determined want for cash. It is also the early ’90s, when cell telephones and emergency gadgets weren’t frequent. The stage is ready for her to be a hapless sufferer, however the consumer radically underestimates Natalie’s survival instincts.

Push performs the haunted home card effectively, as lengthy monitoring photographs observe Natalie by means of the labyrinthine mansion. She realizes it is creepy and makes an effort to spruce up the place. Some could also be bored by the point Charbonier and Powell dedicate to the hallway trek, but it surely makes what occurs subsequent extra plausible. The journey permits her — and the viewers — to achieve a bodily understanding of the first setting, in order that Natalie is not simply operating blindly in later scenes.

Sanz, identified for her starring function in Prime Video’s El Cid, runs the emotional gamut from heartbreaking loss to steely vengeance as Natalie. A mom will combat ferociously to guard her little one, and Sanz embodies that mettle on display screen. Natalie rubs her stomach and sings a lullaby to her unborn child as she struggles to get by means of the day, however that calm countenance vanishes when she goes into labor because the ruthless assassin assaults. We really feel Natalie’s concern, terror and surging resolve because the unnamed consumer threatens her child’s life.

Alicia Sanz Fights to Survive

Charbonier and Powell obtain strong scares in Push, earlier than a precipitous downturn within the third act. Beethoven’s traditional “Moonlight Sonata” is used all through as a darkish harbinger of violence, and its melancholy notes are ominously performed just like the Jaws theme earlier than a savage chew. Intercut with stunning random edits, the approach could have audiences leaping out of their seats. You by no means know what is going on to set off a harrowing flashback — one particularly is very scary, and had this reviewer’s pulse racing.

Sadly, nonetheless, Push loses steam on a number of fronts because the plot progresses. The consumer begins off as menacing, after which devolves right into a uninteresting style trope. The antagonist simply lumbers alongside like Michael Myers with a limp, permitting repeated escapes by the closely pregnant Natalie. The consumer ought to be capable of simply chase her down, however is at all times a number of steps behind and by no means in a rush to complete the job. Their bloody backwards and forwards tires as a prepared suspension of disbelief evaporates.

Then Charbonier and Powell make a mystifying determination to go away the spooky mansion, concluding the story in a far much less efficient place. This flip of occasions deflates the phobia and doubles down on lame horror contrivances. What was as soon as participating and attention-grabbing turns into banal with a scarcity of originality on the worst doable time. Sanz does an awesome job with the fabric, regardless of its second half flaws. However the climax sadly disappoints, and Push ends on a downbeat observe when it may have been thrilling.

Push is a manufacturing of Kinogo Footage and Mad Descent. It’s presently accessible to stream on Shudder.