Caveat

Shudder | Release Date (Streaming): June 3, 2021

6.1	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Ratings

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TheQuietGamerNov 9, 2021

An aversion referenced throughout Caveat is claustrophobia. It's woven into the very DNA of the film itself as due to a low-budget this largely takes place in a single rundown location comprised of tight hallways and a handful of smallAn aversion referenced throughout Caveat is claustrophobia. It's woven into the very DNA of the film itself as due to a low-budget this largely takes place in a single rundown location comprised of tight hallways and a handful of small bedrooms that will certainly leave the right viewers in need of a little free-roaming space afterwards. For me though, the terror came from a mix of cleithrophobia and a more general fear of the unknown.

A problem the horror genre often runs into is that it can feel too plausible for the characters to escape the danger they're in with relative ease or receive outside help, and the threat itself being either the usual ghost, monster, or maniac we've seen enough times over the years to have developed an understanding of. Completely isolated and unable to leave for reasons I won't spoil, here the protagonist, and therefore the audience, are stuck in a shady situation that reeks of a setup with very little (mis)information to go on. An air of ambiguity and deceit hang over the entire scenario because of the immediately dishonest, manipulative personality of our lead's shifty landlord making it clear he's hiding quite a bit about this weird job from the tenant he's convinced to take it. What those withholdings may be however, you have no clue. So when things start getting freaky your mind will race with all the possible causes behind the incomprehensible. Effectively allowing your own imagination to scare you just as much as the unnerving atmosphere and horrific secrets to be uncovered will.

The only other movie I've seen that takes this kind of approach is In Fear. Another feature that made my blood run cold as it left me in the dark for my mind to play tricks on me. At least until I began to figure out what was going on, at which point its effectiveness at alarming you decreases significantly. That's where Jeremy Lovering's directorial debut and Damian McCarthy's (Mc Carthy?) differ. When the mysteries start to get revealed in this it doesn't take away from the frightening nature this supremely messed up babysitting gig has. Instead, each new insight led to me getting more emotionally invested in the tale as the true tragedies of it came to light. Plus, not every question receives an answer leaving you with plenty to ponder over and draw your own conclusions on until the ending and even beyond.

Nevertheless, despite all this praise I'm heaping on the picture it does have a pretty large flaw. The concept requires its principal figure to agree to a series of questionable stipulations so absurd it nearly defies believability to the extent where it can derail the experience for some before it ever truly begins. It's an issue that could have been explained away had any sort of reason, like a severe financial need, been established to help people understand why this man said yes to all this strangeness when the majority of others would say no, but none ever is.

Still, those who can look past that will be treated to one the most terrifying releases since the first Conjuring. Many of the comforts we are unknowingly used to are absent by the way of the unfortunate subject of this nightmare's trapped status, and the means in which it leaves you constantly guessing what the danger actually is until the big revelation. Whether you can buy into its logic or not, viewed strictly for its ability to rob individuals of their composure this in top contention for the title of best content on Shudder. Not least of all because of what was able to be accomplished under such a modest production.… Expand

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Voodoo123Feb 24, 2023

+Interesting plot/suit mechanism design ideas
+Decent production quality considering the low budget
-LFE is far too loud -Overreliance on genre tropes There are some great ambience effects that build nicely with some decent editing and+Interesting plot/suit mechanism design ideas
+Decent production quality considering the low budget
-LFE is far too loud -Overreliance on genre tropes

There are some great ambience effects that build nicely with some decent editing and pacing. Sadly the standard tropes of the genre with peeking and loud sounds is overdone. Character motivations are rather unclear but somehow despite the flaws I found this to be compelling to watch all the way through. Intriguing stuff!… Expand