“Beneath Us All” (2023) is a new horror film by director Harley Wallen (The Devil’s Left Hand.) Of interest is Wallen’s inclusion as an actor in most of the films he makes. In Beneath Us All, Wallen stars as a side character and detective who begins a lengthy search to uncover who is killing the locals. His partner (Kaiti Wallen) also stars, here as a social worker called Rebecca. The title follows a foster child, Julie, the eldest in a group home led by spouses Todd and Janelle Gibbs. In a stereotypical playbook, the narrative is set up whereby the children taken in by the married couple are taking advantage of the very same lives they claim to be helping.
The story opens with Julie and her foster brother mid-rescue of a tiny bird. Todd eventually discovers the feathered friend and takes instant issue with it being saved and sets the scene for both him and his spouse as being the villains in the story. Similar to a previous film Mother of Movies reviewed called Ash and Bone, Beneath Us All was written too by Bret Miller. Despite both being horror films, the storylines and, themes never broach areas that are either shocking or brutal. Rather in both instances, this is the type of horror movie you can watch with less enthusiastic lovers of typically violent and gore-laden horror films.
Family Violence
Family violence, mistreatment, and abuse aren’t openly waved as a banner of something to be a bystander for. Todd’s reaction to the children’s gentle treatment and rescue of a small defenseless creature is utilized to ensure the audience knows that behind closed doors, this could be happening. On-screen, however, the focus is on Julie. She stumbles upon an object buried deep in the ground. Like the bird, she wants to rescue whatever this creature is. However, it’s clear from the beginning, that this creature has an ulterior motive.
Special effects in Beneath Us All are nicely executed in a practical application where a little goes a long way. The focus is on the characters rather than trying to implement carnage. The cinematography is crisp and again shows Wallen has a talent for darker sets and low light. For many independent filmmakers with little to no budget, the use of darkness is often an obvious tool to cover up what isn’t working. That’s not the case here and the fact that a lot of Beneath Us All’s storyline is after dark, visual aesthetics are nicely done. The background score is haunting and complements the movie’s theme perfectly.
There is a lot to like about Beneath Us All. On one hand, the performances of the lead actors brought depth to the film. As a fan of movies that run alongside the Vampire lore skill set, the movie’s complex and thought-provoking script is commendable. However, on the other hand, the movie’s slow pacing and its perceived lack of originality were disappointing. I would also have liked to have seen more screen time given to Julie and her monster to establish connectivity to the final scenes.
Beneath Us All
Overall, “Beneath Us All” is a movie that is worth watching, especially if you’re a fan of softer horror movies. However, if you’re looking for a fast-paced virile movie, this may not be the right choice.
The cast of Beneath Us All:
- Rigo Sanchez as Julie
- Lynn Collins is TBD
- Sean Whalen as Todd Gibbs
- Mario Olsen as Janelle Gibbs
- Kaiti Wallen as Rebecca
Beneath Us All was viewed as a screener for review purposes. The movie is directed by Harley Wallen and written by Bret Miller.
