Rhiannon Elizabeth Irons
It’s no secret that I enjoy independent films. And my homeland of Australia has produced some serious contenders when it comes to the indie movie landscape. While our nation is renowned for unleashing Mick Taylor on the world, or for our giant boars in Razorback (1984) and Boar (2017), we do have some incredible atmospheric, supernatural entries.
Enter indie filmmaker Kevin Khachan and his 2021 feature, Remnants.
This is your only warning. There will be some spoilers ahead.
Remnants was released in March 2022 and is available across many streaming services, most notably Apple TV. Filmed in both Sydney, Australia, and Prague, Czech Republic, this feature is about a young woman, Jana, who is down on her luck. She can’t catch a break. First her car breaks down and she misses a job interview. Then when she returns home to her apartment overlooking the sights of Sydney, she’s met by an eviction notice. Her frustration levels reach their pinnacle when she smashes her answering machine, in a scene very similar to Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns (1992).
In the midst of her breakdown, a strange man, who she encountered briefly in passing and has now found his way into her apartment, informs her that she’s got family she’s never met before and needs to travel to Prague where the will of her great aunt is to be read.
This begins her journey across the world to seek her claim at an inheritance she didn’t know she was entitled to.
Once there, she meets her cousins, and is instantly considered the outcast. While some of her family is accommodating, there are others who would prefer not to have her there. Referring to Jana as the “bastard child” they look down on her, hesitant to get to know her.
The executor of the will states that they have to spend the night in Zámek Úsobí (Usobi Castle) and cannot leave the estate on any grounds, nor make contact with anyone on the outside until the next morning. Whoever is left must then meet the executor on the bridge in order to collect the inheritance.
Naturally, this is where greed wins out and shit goes sideways. Quickly.
Jana takes a moment to rest up before having unsettling dreams. Upon waking, she joins her new-found family in a game of croquet. To say her family is disturbing would be an understatement. Their actions are menacing while their words linger in the air, thick with malice.
As the night continues, the family are overcome by something truly sinister skulking in the shadows. No one is safe from the bloodshed as the thought of wealth, along with a dark force lurking within the walls of the property, drives the family to turn on one another.
A visually spectacular film, the use of colour and locations is what makes this picture stand out among other independent features. Kevin Khachan’s direction reminds me a lot of another Aussie film director, Jamie Blanks (Urban Legend, Valentine). The attention to detail is masterful, moving the story forward, while the music from Mitchell Sloan helps maintain the suspenseful motif.
The makeup and effects, including the blood, gore, and what I can perceive to be bile, were also noteworthy. Not too gruesome to deter the casual horror viewer but doesn’t rely too heavily on the gore to progress the story. A perfect balance that should be appreciated by the pickiest horror fans.
The entire vibe of the movie is unnerving. And while there’s a lot to love about this film, there were some elements that didn’t gel well with me. The storyline, at times, was difficult to follow. Quick edits between a dream-like state and reality often brought me out of the narrative. Questionable decisions made by the actors made for some scenes that should have been rich with suspense, almost laughable. The choices of accents also threw me. Going into the feature for the first time I knew that it was set in both Australia and the Czech Republic. Instantly, I was expecting Aussie and Central European accents. Instead, my ears were accosted by an American accent from our leading lady, while the remaining family sounded vaguely British.
While I was thrown by the accents, they certainly weren’t a deal breaker. After all, our leading lady was recruited from Australia to travel to Prague. She could have been an American ex-pat that now called Sydney home. Similarly, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the remaining family could have been spread throughout Europe, only arriving in the Czech Republic for the reading of the will. It was just unexpected.
There were moments throughout the latter aspects of the story where I was on the edge of my seat. Diving into possession, the film gave me serious Evil Dead vibes, while blending a paranormal story that was reminiscent of Insidious. I’m not saying Remnants is a copy of either film, but if I had to describe it in comparison to other movies, these would be the two that best explained my experience.
Overall, Remnants is an exceptional viewing pleasure. It is a rich story of greed, featuring beautiful locations, pops of vibrant colours, and a sinister score that adds to the foreboding atmosphere. Our characters, despite being flawed, are engaging, holding your attention, and making you love or loathe them. The effects of blood and gore were exceptional. Not taking away from the story but rather enhancing it. Seeing our leading lady have her finger and ear bitten off by one of her family members was surprising and yet satisfying the bloodlust that lurks within.
Kevin Khachan is a writer/director to watch out for. His storytelling vision is unique. The way he goes about creating an atmosphere that lingers with you long after the movie had ended is something to be marveled.
Rating 7/10
Comments