If you’re someone who knows anything about me, you know that Scream is my favorite horror movie, so of course I was very excited to see Rose McGowan stepping back into the genre in the new film, The Sound.
Spoiler Free Synopsis
Kelly (Rose McGowan) is a writer and a skeptic of the supernatural. As a specialist in acoustic physics she uses low frequency tactile sound-waves to debunk reported paranormal activities for her online blog. When presented a new case of a supposedly haunted subway station Kelly sets off to uncover the truth behind the hoax that involves a 40-year-old unexplained suicide. Her investigation takes her deep into the abandoned station where her skepticism is tested. As Kelly ascends into the depths of the metro’s darkness she is confronted by an unforeseen evil. In the vastness, she must face her own haunted memories to find the truth and surface back into the light.
The Sound was written by Jenna Mattison and also helms the camera in her directorial debut. Although, this was her first time directing she is in no way new to the industry, with plenty of stage, and screen credits, as an actress, writer, and producer.
Rose McGowan isn’t the only familiar face you’ll see in The Sound either. Her co-stars include Christopher Lloyd (Back to The Future), and Michael Eklund (Watchmen, The Call, Bates Motel).
What attracted me to The Sound, besides the obvious (presence of Rose McGowan), was that the plot seemed to be unlike one I’d seen in any other paranormal horror film before. The way that McGowan’s character Kelly, studies and makes sense of seemingly supernatural events, thanks to science, made the film instantly intriguing to me upon watching the trailer. The Sound does include some details that we have seen in plenty of other horror films before, but the combination of them is what makes the movie unique. While having several different circumstances that affect Kelly’s investigation into the haunted subway station might make the film more unique, it doesn’t necessarily make the quality of the story any better. Since there are multiple backstories that come up, they cannot go into as much detail, or spend as much time covering them as I for one would have liked them to. When a movie leaves you wanting more, it can either be a good, or a bad thing; good because that means there’s potential for a sequel, or bad if you want more because you feel like something was missing, and are unsatisfied when the movie comes to an end. While The Sound did leave me wanting to know more about the backstories, it wasn’t in a good, or bad way. The material isn’t really one that warrants a sequel, although one could certainly be made, but if that was the case it would probably focus on a new case of Kelly’s, but I didn’t feel let down by the way the movie played out.
Many of the movies that scare me the most involve the paranormal, but I think paranormal movies are some of the hardest to make, because you have to get your representation of the paranormal just right. If you use too much CGI, it ruins the whole thing, and makes the movie laughable, but if you simply have no effects, the movie can become too bland. Although, The Sound is not my new favorite paranormal movie, it is one that did earn my respect, by not committing either of the offenses stated above.
All in all, The Sound ended up being pretty much what I expected it to be, not the next big horror hit, but also not a film that will be on Baron’s list of films to review for his Dead On Arrival column anytime soon. The Sound is a unique, and eerie film, with a solid comeback from Rose McGowan.
You can see The Sound during its limited theatrical release starting this Friday, September 29.
