The Reeds (2010)

[Psycho Stitch]

In Theatre : January 29, 2010
Director(s): Nick Cohen

In THE REEDS, a weekend boating trip through the Norfolk Broads becomes a terrifying, deadly ordeal for six 20-something year old friends.

Aboard the Corsair Star, a small cruiser rented from Mr. Croker, the local marina operator, the boating party loses its bearings and cuts through the vast reedy tidewater in search of the main channel. After the first casualty by a freak accident, the boat runs aground.

Every effort to preserve themselves and find a way out fails, as one by one the friends are terrorized by young punks and killed by a hooded man with a gun. There is no escaping this vast waterway, a place of endless return, presided over by Croker who killed a group of young people decades before and initiated the hellish curse which traps all who take passage on the Corsair Star.

[Friday The 13th]

:bowow:

[Zach]

The Reeds

Review by Zach

Unlike previous years the AFM is loaded with all sorts of films yet to be discovered such as Nick Cohen’s The Reeds. Emitting some underground talk around the AFM floors, we caught one of the two screenings in hopes of discovering something special. While I can’t recommend this for everyone, fans of Triangle and Timecrimes might find something special here.The Reeds follows a boating party that gets lost in the ancient waterways of the Norfolk Broads and finds itself victim of a terrifying secret hidden in The Reeds. Beautifully shot and featuring a solid cast, this supernatural thriller grabs your interest from the get-go and keeps you long for the boating trip until the twist-laden conclusion. While I understand Chris Baker (Long Time Dead) was trying to bring something original to the table, it only become too much to swallow, especially when the meat of it has already been done several times before.While THE REEDS takes its time to crank into gear, the lengthy opening sequences establish the protagonists and their relationships. The writing and acting, while not memorable, is good enough to get the job done. By concentrating on the charms and realism of his characters and their relationships with each other, the crucial turn toward mortal danger means a great deal more to the viewer. Director Nick Cohen and writer Chris Baker have another objective in mind – the slow build-up of tension. We know something bad is going to happen; so the longer it takes, the more primed we are for it. Nicely photographed, The Reeds holds interest from its snappy prologue all the way to the twisty climax. Initially the viewer is led to believe, via ominous POV shots, that there’s a creature running loose in the Reeds, but it’s ultimately a ghost story that emerges. The reeds themselves seem to sprout endlessly from everywhere and make for an unforgiving setting. The Reeds doesn’t pander to its audience with constant scares or snazzy effects, just effectively tells a simple horror story. It does not throw in a lot of distracting themes, but stays focused on the nature and existence of evil. The Reeds is a supremely well-made gut-chiller that unsettles as much as it thrills. It puts to shame a whole lot of genre works that cost ten times as much to make, but don’t even have half the filmmaking prowess and brutal inspiration behind them. Ignoring the forced twist, The Reeds carries some incredibly tense moments like when one of the teens catches a glimpse of himself outside of the boat window. Another brilliant sequence is when the boat hits a steal rod that shoots through the bottom and impaling one of the young men. It doesn’t end there, as he remains alive as they cut the pipe off and lay him in bed with it sticking out of his gut. One of the major problems with the film is that the finale is misleading. During most of the film the viewer is led to believe that there’s a creature running loose in the Reeds, while the finale reveals it to be something completely different. Remember the way you felt when you found out Jason Voorhees wasn’t the killer in the fifth Friday?
Again, this might hit the right beats for certain horror fans, while this reviewer felt a bit disappointed. It is a gorgeous movie that has moments that are sure to raise some eyebrows. It’s best going into the movie knowing that there’s no creature so there’s no disappointment. Expect this one on DVD.

[Zach]

O think this is cool!! I like the after dark horrorfest series. Some good, some not so good but worth the watch! kickass movie

[Dr. Briggs]

One of the major problems with the film is that the finale is misleading. During most of the film the viewer is led to believe that there’s a creature running loose in the Reeds, while the finale reveals it to be something completely different. Remember the way you felt when you found out Jason Voorhees wasn’t the killer in the fifth Friday?

Yes, I felt terrified because Mrs. Voorhees was a masterfully-played psycho-bitch and the "drowned boy" story was wonderfully subtle throughout

[Zach]

I saw an early screening of this movie, absolutely top notch, enough to scare the pants of my girlfriend, and that was much appreciated. I hope this film gets the proper release and coverage it desevres. We'd like to see more from this stable. Applause.