KEEPER

Keeper features a magnificent performance from Tatiana Maslany that fuels the entire film, making a strong argument for why she is one of the most underappreciated actresses of her generation, but Osgood Perkins’ lacklustre story sadly drags down this folk horror cabin in the woods tale, doing a disservice to Maslany’s performance, the exceptional craftsmanship in creating the visuals of this film, and horror fans alike.

Releasing three horror films in a matter of only two years, there is no stopping Osgood Perkins. After scarring audiences to death with the serial killer flick Longlegs last year, which remains one of the best horror films of the decade so far, and bringing a chaotic and hilarious bloody mayhem to the big screen with The Monkey earlier this year, Perkins is now turning his eye to the folk horror subgenre. Refusing to do the same thing again with his films, Perkins is proving himself to be one of the most exciting and daring voices in the horror genre today, but his latest film feels like he may need to take a break to properly plan out his narrative… because it is not only the weakest of his trio of latest horror movies, but it thinks it is far cleverer than it actually is. While you can’t knock the filmmaking behind the film, particularly the gorgeous cinematography and exquisite prosthetics and makeup work on display, and despite Tatiana Maslany giving her performance everything she has, Keeper never sticks the landing and becomes one of the most disappointing horror films of the year.

From the premise alone, anyone who has seen a horror movie has a very clear idea of where the story of Keeper is going. And even though the same could be said about Longlegs and The Monkey, Perkins pushed the premise and the concepts in both of those films to the extreme. But sadly, the same cannot be said for Keeper. The film spends the first two acts more focused on Liz’s spiralling as she finds herself not alone in the cabin with some hallmarks of the folk horror genre being utilized, and it is no doubt engaging to watch with Maslany’s performance and the many “what the heck” moments that occur as reality, visions and nightmares begin to blend together. But, there is no payoff for this careful buildup that Perkins develops. When the “big” reveal happens in the third act, it should be no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to the film and is actually underwhelming that the story is this simple, and the chaos that ensues from the reveal is over so quickly as the third act does not begin until the last twenty minutes of the film. It leaves little time for the horror to permeate on screen, and despite some disturbing imagery on screen, there is little to offer viewers to rattle them to their core like Perkins’ previous two films.

Within this folk horror tale, Perkins attempts to weave in a discussion of relationships and coercion, but it feels in poor taste. While he continuously teases that there is something off in the relationship with awkward moments by both Liz and Malcolm, questioning if either of them actually loves the other despite them stating that numerous times over the course of the film, the thematic discussion could actually care less if these two characters love each other or not. It is evidently clear from the audience’s perspective that Malcolm is using Liz as a means to an end, and that Liz likes the idea of being in a relationship with Malcolm rather than Malcolm himself, with little exploration of their actual relationship during the film. This lack of love between Liz and Malcolm greatly hinders the film’s final act, as the reveal which should be a shocking betrayal of trust and love is missing the the bite it needs to truly rattle viewers, as the audience are never invested in Liz and Malcolm as a couple due to the lack of any real romantic connection between them.

It’s too bad the story and the “big” reveal of Keeper is absolutely lacklustre, as the technical aspects of the film are exceptional. Jeremy Cox’s cinematography is striking, delivering shots that emulate the mind bending experience that Liz is experiencing at Malcolm’s cabin, while also showing lots of the background behind Liz in each shot. With the background covered in darkness or showing the ever reaching high ceilings of the cabin, the audience is plunged with the fear that there is constantly hiding just out of sight, watching Liz’s with an evil intent. It helps to create an unsettling atmosphere to the film, so by the time the narrative reaches that disturbing third act, you will feel your skin crawl. A large portion of the third act revolves around what was in the cabin in the woods, and the makeup and prosthetic work to bring to life the entity is fantastic and creates a frightening sight for both viewers and Liz. And keeping with Perkins’ twisted sense of humour and storytelling, the needle drops of some unforgettable classic love songs just add fuel to the uncomfortable nature of the entire weekend away and the lack of love between Liz and Malcolm.

The saving grace of the entire film is Maslany as Liz. For years, Maslany has delivered incredible performance after performance, though largely going unnoticed by audiences due to the smaller nature of the projects. But as Liz, Maslany bears it all emotionally and mentally as this young woman who finds herself in an incredibly sinister situation. The fear Maslany brings to the film is infectious, causing the audience to hold their breath in fear as Liz walks around the cabin knowing that something terrible could happen to her at any moment. It’s especially palpable in the moment when Liz learns the truth behind what is happening in the cabin, with Maslany’s emotional fragility selling the shock and terror being faced by her character with an afflicting vulnerability that brings to life the horror of that specific moment with a painstaking honesty that cuts deep. Keeper marks Maslany’s second collaboration with Perkins, with their third already underway, and it is clear that Maslany is his scream queen and the performance he gets out of her is phenomenal here; it’s just a crying shame that the screenplay cannot support everything Maslany is bringing to the film.

Mixed reception to Keeper won’t stop Osgood Perkins from making challenging and boundary pushing horror films, nor should it as he has previously displayed that talent with great success. It’s just too bad that Keeper is an underwhelming and undercooked experience, especially with the phenomenal performance that Tatiana Maslany gives throughout the film. While the filmmaking talent on display in Keeper and Tatiana Maslany’s go big or go home scream queen performance are both more than enough to keep audiences engaged, the story drags down the exceptional craftsmanship and results in one of the most predictable, unsatisfying and barely frightening horror films of the year.