Knuckleball (2018)

Knuckleball: Directed by Michael Peterson. With Michael Ironside, Munro Chambers, Luca Villacis, Kathleen Munroe. Alone, and targeted on an isolated farm, 12-year-old Henry finds himself at the center of a maelstrom of terror, and a dark family legacy, when his secretive grandfather dies suddenly in the night.

“Full disclosure…I was an extra in this film (the airport scene, you can almost see me but not quite) so Iu0026#39;ll admit I have a bit of a bias towards this film but I really had no idea what it was about until I saw it. Anyway, after reading the positive and negative reviews I was cautiously optimistic but set my expectations relatively low.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI was actually quite surprised at how much I enjoyed the film and think the negative reviewers either missed the point or are maybe a case of you canu0026#39;t please everyone all the time. Sure there are predictable elements but there are a number of surprises along the way as well. I thought it was a very taught thriller that kept up a really good sense of dread and foreboding all through the film. Right from the beginning, things donu0026#39;t feel right and the bleak winter Canadian prairie location (even though the film is set in the US) really add to the uneasiness. This film never lets you feel comfortable in your seat as the cinematography, score, and acting just keep things feeling tense. If you donu0026#39;t like that kind of feeling, this movie isnu0026#39;t for you.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI thought the director managed to work very well within his limited budget and put together a pretty decently acted and constructed film. The villain especially brought a spine tingling creepiness to the roll. Overall, to me it didnu0026#39;t feel like a low-budget or b-rater horror flick as it wasnu0026#39;t trying to be something that it wasnu0026#39;t. It was aware of itu0026#39;s limitations and wasnu0026#39;t trying to be a slick Hollywood blockbuster. Without giving anything away, my only minor beef was with one part of the ending that I thought could have had some further fleshing out or explanation. You can assume certain things but it just felt like a string or two was left hanging.”