Sundance 2012 Review: THE PACT

I'll say right now that I am no connoisseur of the horror/thriller genre. I'm not easily scared or startled and while I enjoy the occasional breakout film of this sort, it's not the type of movie I actively seek out. I mention this because I thoroughly enjoyed The Pact and despite the grumblings I've heard from a few horror flick aficionados, I found this movie to be a lot of fun, perfectly spooky, and complex enough to keep me interested beyond the usual startles and repulsive imagery that many films of this ilk rely on.

Caity Lotz plays Annie, a slightly troubled girl in her twenties, who has returned home for her estranged mother's funeral. Caity is probably best known for her role as Stephanie on Mad Men, but after this film, that very well could change. She brings both a fierceness and a vulnerability to her character as she is forced to go up against a mysterious enemy in her deceased mother's creepy San Pedro residence.

Playing opposite is Casper Van Dien as the scratchy voiced cop, Lotz. This man is clearly the dominant one in the relationship and it's fun to watch Annie altruistically/stupidly take on each frightening situation with gusto.

The character histories might be painted with fairly broad strokes, but with a mystery plot full of red herrings, twists, and surprises, this film offers much to any viewer looking to be more than just a quick shock or gross-out. While The Pact doesn't exactly push the envelope, it is a more than solid entry in the genre and I expect it will be enjoyed by the die hard genre fans and the casual ones alike.