Sole Survivor

"Sole Survivor" is a horror movie which opens with a palpable sense of dread and some effective moments but squanders them all in a final act which reveals it has no idea what to do with the points it's earnt.

The plot is about a plain looking woman who is the titular "sole survivor" of an airplane crash. She appears to suffer hallucinations of those who died in the crash following her around.

But are they hallucinations or are they... REAL?! You probably won't care. I know I didn't.

The spectres of the deceased, who look like extras wandered over from whatever zombie movie George Romero was shooting that year, are at first spooky but soon become boring since they mostly just stand there. The movie doesn't really develop the idea it starts with, until a rushed conclusion at the end which is entirely unsatisfying.

If slow paced, intelligent horror films along the lines of Let's Scare Jessica to Death or Carnival of Souls are your speed, you'll find a lot to love in Sole Survivor.

Predating Final Destination by nearly 20 years, Sole Survivor tells the story of Denise, a TV producer, who ends up being the sole survivor of a plane crash. Soon after, she starts seeing people following her and, well,...I don't want to spoil anything else.

Sole Survivor is a perfect example of "less is more." Things are never quite clear or explained, which makes the entire film quite mysterious and creepy. Most of the performances are subdued and natural and a large cloud of doom hangs over the entire film. It's impressively creepy, honestly.

If you're a gore hound or looking for cheap jump scares, Sole Survivor might not be your cup of tea, but those who appreciate a nice slow burn will probably love it.

As with other movies that deal with the blurry line between life and death, "Sole Survivor" often lacks cohesion in plot and logic. But the weight of its atmospheric shocks and well-paced suspense is effective–it's a movie that places its concentration on waking-nightmare horror rather than gore. A woman is the lone survivor of an airplane crash, predicted by a washed-up TV actress with psychic tendencies; complications arise when the recently-dead start popping up in the woman's everyday life. Eerie chiller with strong atmosphere and a moody pace draws favorable comparisons to "Carnival of Souls" and "Dead & Buried." Recommended for adventurous viewers with a taste for the offbeat.

Writer / director / editor Thom Eberhardts' feature directing debut is a nicely realized, grim and spooky little shocker worth viewing for horror aficionados hoping to find good lesser known films from decades past. It's got plenty of atmosphere, a never ending feeling of uneasiness, a good spin on "living dead" cinema, and its themes and ideas are interesting. As genre junkies will realize, it's similar in some ways to the more famous "Final Destination", which came along 17 years *later*. Eberhardts' script is often witty and offers good roles to a capable cast.

Star Anita Skinner is impressive enough in the role of plane crash survivor Denise Watson that one may wish we'd seen more of her in films over the years. She displays just the right amount of vulnerability and confusion. Denise was the *only* survivor of this crash, and she tries to resume her normal life, but weird things begin happening. Unspeaking, creepy strangers start to appear to her and she wonders what it all could mean.

Also in the cast are handsome Kurt Johnson as a kindly doctor, Robin Davidson as Denise's spunky neighbour, Caren Larkey as a washed up actress with unwanted psychic abilities, and William Snare as a frustrated coroner. Be on the lookout for foxy B movie actress Brinke Stevens as a player in a strip poker game who takes off her top and Leon (Robinson) as a gang leader.

David F. Anthony composed the eerie music and cinematographer Russell Carpenter, who went on to really big things such as "True Lies" and "Titanic", does a really good job in helping to set the mood.

The movie also educates us some on the subject of "survivor syndrome", wherein people who live through catastrophic accidents expire themselves within 24 months, possibly through a sense of guilt and feeling of unworthiness.

All in all, "Sole Survivor" is one of those films that deserves a wider audience. It's too good to remain obscure.

Eight out of 10.

Premise: Denise survives an airplane crash, escaping completely unharmed. But as she tries to move on with her life, she begins noticing people are watching her, and hears strange voices calling her name. It soon becomes clear that the unseen spectre of death wants to collect Denise by sending its minions to kill her...

'Sole Survivor' is a neat little horror film tucked away in the mid-80s that's slipped under the radar. It's slow and creepy, benefiting from Carpenter-esque direction in the way the protagonist is framed in long shots, centred in wide open spaces to augment the isolation and menace, much like the victims in Halloween. This is further evidenced by the cold stares Denise receives from the "minions", who are just standing there at a distance, watching, waiting... sound eerily familiar?

If I had to be harsh and nitpick, it would be that 'Sole Survivor' peaks with its atmosphere early and doesn't have much ambition to go further. This is fine - there's a moderate intensity sustained throughout as creepy people stand, stare and occasionally pursue the main character. But it also means the film doesn't hit the dread-filled highs that could have made it a classic of the genre. Still, this is well worth a watch, with an ending that's bound to leave a lingering chill.

7/10.