It’s Day 9, and today we see what can happen when one makes a dark deal in the 2017 release Dig Two Graves. The film opens in 1947, with a sheriff and his deputy disposing of two bodies in a local quarry. The film then moves forward to 1977, where Jake (Samantha Isler) and her brother, Sean (Ben Schneider), visit the quarry. Sean dares Jake to jump off the cliff, but she hesitates, while Sean fatally takes the plunge. Jake is later confronted by a dark trio, Wyeth (Troy Ruptash) and his brothers Dee (Mark Lancaster) and Jon (Dean Evans), who offer her a deal to bring her brother back to life. The catch is, Jake must sacrifice someone to take her brother’s place. 9/10 stars
The film is one of those quietly haunting movies, without any real jump scares or splashy special effects. Instead, director Hunter Adams (The Hungry Bull) crafts a compelling mystery, flashing back and forth between 1947 and 1977. The film shows the corruption of the past catching up to both the former sheriff (Danny Goldring) and the current one, played by Ted Levine (Silence of the Lambs). The performances from the cast are all strong, and Isler (Captain Fantastic) does a great job as she shows Jake’s struggle between getting her brother back and fighting to do the right thing. The film does keep an air of suspense throughout, with the dark magic shown through simple practical effects that while not flashy are very effective. It’s a film that can leave a nice little chill after the credits roll, and the performances alone make this worthwhile viewing. Now showing on Netflix and available on Blu-ray/DVD.
