Acorn Entertainment, out now

While investigating a child abuse case, a social worker discovers that the family is being tormented by a supernatural entity.

Writer/directors Abel Vang and Burlee Vang have made a horror movie which sadly is hampered by far too long a running time. There’s a reason most films in this genre are only around the ninety-minute mark and it’s to do with the ability to sustain suspense. At nearly two hours, this movie is half an hour too long, and while a generous description might be that it’s slow-burning, I’m more inclined to call it flabby.

Claire (Michelle Krusiec, Hawaii Five-O) is a pregnant social worker who takes on a case where the parents are under suspicion of abusing their young daughter. Within minutes of entering the house she experiences supernatural phenomena and reports it, but because there’s still 90 minutes to go, nothing is believed. She sees the ghost of a woman who may be causing the poltergeist activity, while also coming to terms with her own grief over the loss of her own child. In fact, as a portrait of grief and the breakdown of relationships, it’s well observed, but it’s marketed as a horror movie and just doesn’t deliver within that genre.

Verdict: Grief, guilt and misery jockey for prime position in this independent horror movie that’s far less interested in the shocks than it ought to be. 6/10

Nick Joy