Fear, whether real or imagined is still fear. In “Shadows” it’s fear that contorts the narrative into a gripping psychological thriller. While Shadow’s biggest enemy is its runtime (sitting at 1 hour and 42 minutes) Carlo Lavagna’s film is still entertaining at best. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, some might guess the outcome of this dynamic film early on. However, what the movie does exceptionally well is keeping whatever this secret is under guard until well into the third act.
A Mother (Saskia Reeves) and her two teenage daughters Alex (Lola Petticrew) and Alma (Mia Threapleton) live a sheltered life in a secluded hotel. Early on there are scant details about why they live in the darkness, hunt during the solstice moon, and predominantly live in fear of what’s beyond the Black River. Mother has strict rules that the girls dutifully follow. The windows are boarded over to keep the light out and they must never go outside in the daytime.
Shadows Edge
Neither Alex nor Alma remembers life before they all lived together but their mother says nothing is left except danger. She prepares them for her eventual death with promises of being taken on the next hunt. They are taught lessons in various subjects and as Alma and Alex grow older, so do their appetites for information. Alma has nightmares almost every night. Mostly they consist of Alex leaving and Alma being unable to find her. Sometimes she follows her places she shouldn’t go and when she does find herself in the light, she screams in pain.
The girls, supposedly oppressed by their strict mother, defy her rules and stumble upon a forbidden storage room. Inside, they find a phone and a porno magazine, which further fuels their curiosity about the outside world. However, it is hard to trust their dramatic accounts considering how they conveniently portray their mother as an unreasonable authority figure. It is also suspicious how their hunger strike conveniently coincides with their rebellion. One cannot help but wonder if their stories are exaggerated or even fabricated for dramatic effect.
Shadows Awakening
This is a title that deserves to be seen. I don’t want to give the ending of Shadows away but I have added a Shadows Explained section at the bottom.
Shadows Movie Trailer
Shadows movie is rated
3.5 undelivered messages out of 5
Shadows Explained
THE SHADOWS MOVIE EXPLAINED
In the final quarter of the film, Alma discovers that Mother has been lying to her. She spies her using a narcotic plant and putting it into her tea. This is the tea that has kept her sedated since she was a child. Alma swaps the tea she is served one night and realizes she has been drugging her all this time.
She begins to suspect everything and tests out whether the light is harmful or not. She goes outside and finds the sun is fine. When her mother finally wakes up Alma confronts her and they fight before she runs away from the hotel. Mother gives chase and eventually falls into a trap. Before she dies she tells Alma that she took her but just wanted to keep her safe. Mother also tells her how to get safely where there are more people.
On the way she nearly drowns and finds Alex who had run away days before. They travel together before Alma finally has a memory of a car crash and realizes she was taken.
A flashback is shown of Alma when she was first kidnapped and kept locked in a room. It’s in this state she creates Alex who never existed.
Shadows Cast
The Shadows cast movie includes Mia Threapleton, Lola Petticrew, and Saskia Reeves.
Director Carlo Lavagna (Arianna, Hip Hop Diaries). For another great review of Shadows, read from Horrorbrains.com with their view.
Written by Damiano Bruè (The 3rd Day), Fabio Mollo (My Soul Summer), and Vanessa Picciarelli (I liceali TV Series.)
