To what extent would you go to find a loved one who disappeared and for whom everyone, including the authorities, has given up hope in finding them? “Shelby Oaks” premiered with much anticipation, largely due to the involvement of Mike Flanagan as a producer and the film’s significant backing on Kickstarter. This marks the first feature film for its writer/director, Chris Stuckmann, who has been a notable figure in online movie critique circles.
Mia (Camille Sullivan, “Hunter Hunter”; “Dead Rising: Endgame”) is on a relentless quest to find her missing sister, Riley (Sarah Durn), who vanished 12 years ago alongside her three colleagues. Riley was the host of the YouTube series “Paranormal Paranoids,” and during an investigation, she and her friends vanished under mysterious and sinister circumstances. Mia’s journey unfolds through a series of clues that bring her closer to uncovering the truth behind the disappearances. “Shelby Oaks” is presented as a mockumentary, which adds a layer of realism to the narrative while involving the viewers directly in the midst of the eerie atmosphere.
Andrew Scott Baird’s cinematography, combined with writer/director Chris Stuckmann’s vision, was impressive, effectively using lighting and darkness to enhance the uncanny ambiance. The way they prevented you from seeing what you wanted to see sometimes raised the creepiness level a notch.
However, the musical score, while initially engaging, became overwhelming. It took up too much space and importance in some scenes and didn’t necessarily aid the suspense of a moment in any way. The volume was often cranked up, overshadowing the film’s visual attempts to induce fear. One notable issue was the use of “sound effect” jump scares—loud noises that were not contextually relevant to the scenes, which felt more annoying than frightening.
Additionally, the script had the main character making several questionable decisions that detracted from the story’s plausibility. Despite the interesting storyline, these questionable choices and the missed opportunities for visual terror prevented the film from reaching its full potential.
The final outcome, though openly welcomed, has been done before. Stuckmann cited “Lake Mungo” as a significant inspiration during the post-screening Q&A, which was evident in the film’s style but not matched in effectiveness. The Q&A featured most of the cast and crew, providing deeper insights into the production process.
The cast delivered phenomenal performances, with Camille Sullivan especially standing out and carrying much of the film’s emotional weight. She is completely distraught, dead inside, since her sister vanished from her life. Her emotions are raw and genuine, aching her way under your skin, and she keeps it well controlled throughout the entire motion picture.
“Shelby Oaks” was a highly anticipated film that ultimately settled into average horror entertainment. Ending aside, the film has an interesting twist to it, though it was previously done in another film. It may even disappoint certain viewers who were hoping to watch something more original.
While “Shelby Oaks” shows potential and delivers some strong elements, it falls short of being a standout in the horror genre, leaving audiences with a mixed experience. It receives 3 eyes out of 5.
In the end, the hype of being attached to Mike Flanagan’s name, the uproarious Kickstarter movement, as well as its creator having critiqued other horror films for so many years and now coming out with his own, may have been its biggest publicity success as well as its own disappointment in elevating expectations a tad too high.
Nonetheless, the film can boast that it is set to premiere in select cities across the United States, including Austin, Cleveland, Los Angeles, and New York. Recently, Neon was announced as the worldwide distributor, with a domestic theatrical release planned for 2025. International release details are yet to be confirmed.
