By Joshua Robison / The Jambar
With Halloween right around the corner, it is only appropriate that people get together and watch some of their favorite horror films to celebrate. This time of year is also the peak for horror movies to hit the silver screen.
The typical themes in horror and thrillers are more so the same. Ranging from a psycho killer being on the loose or someone getting possessed by a demon of some sort, among others.
However, this time around, a film was released this Halloween season that may have one of the most interesting plots, design and concepts the genre has ever seen.
This film is none other than “Good Boy” released Oct. 3. It follows the story of a man named Todd and his dog, Indy. After having severe complications with his health, Todd moves into his deceased grandfather’s house that was left for him.
But once they get there, Indy begins having visions of a decrepit entity that Todd is oblivious to. As it progresses, Indy has this tedious mental battle with a sinister force dwelling in the house.
Everything about this film is beyond intriguing. For starters “Good Boy” is an independent film. The film was written and directed by Ben Leonberg, and with his crew, it took him three years to make.
What is by far the most original element of this film is the perspective from which the story is told. There is minimal dialogue and the faces of the actors are concealed for the majority of the film because it’s told from the perspective of Indy.
This method of storytelling is something that has never been seen before in mainstream media — it’s what the film industry has been waiting for.
The genius behind this film is that the audience can feel the emotions that Indy is feeling at every part of the movie. When Indy is scared, angry, curious or happy, the audience saw it.
Leonberg used juxtaposing images to convey all of Indy’s emotions, which is truly something incredible for a film with this level of production. What is also very neat about the context of the film is there are many elements of Leonberg’s and Indy’s lives that are included in the characters in the film.
Not only was the concept and performances captivating, but the cinematography and editing were superb. The use of shadows and fastly cut editing both added to the level of horror in the film and maximized the suspense.
“Good Boy” is not a conventional and overwhelming horror film, and that may not be for everyone. However, the film is original and is a step in the right direction for the film industry.