SHOOK (REVIEW)

Dir. Jennifer Harrington

Reviewer. Martyn Wakefield

If you ever wanted to see an extension of the stalking phone call from screen dragged out to a full length feature you may have met your need with SHOOK.

It starts well with a group of models being stalked by a mysterious dog snatcher however when caught in the crossfire soon find their own lives at risk.

Home alone, Mia (Daisye Tutor) receives a phone call from the dog snatcher and his menacing call goes down a rabbit hole of depravity.

So far so slasher, and the film carries a nostalgic feel of a 00s b-movie that could have starred any of the big Jessicas (Biel or Alba) however it takes a jolting U-turn into a personal grudge match between sisters which adds a whole new layer to events but one that doesn't quite hold the bark this dog had throughout it's first half.

This turn of events adds the film more depth than it can handle and up until this point was a mediocre yet satisfying bit of stalk and chase horror but as Mia's sister arrives and creates a series of events that lead Mia to distort her life both physically and mentally, it loses traction. At this point there's no tease, no introduction, just a carpet rug that feels at odds to the story it had been telling and as such loses the classic buzz a no-brainer can give.