I’m a simple man who likes simple things. Give me a good story with good characters and throw in some Ethan Hawke and I’m there. This is very close to modern horror perfection in that it’s an interesting story with realistic elements that in some ways echoes the spookier side of The Silence of the Lambs. With hints of the supernatural, it never gets bogged down with ghosts and clairvoyance. It is much more a human story of overcoming struggles and surviving under difficult circumstances.

Ethan Hawke is great in his sinister ever-changing mask, but he’s not even the best part. The main kid, Finney (played by Mason Thames) is wonderful and his sister is equally superb, but the real shiner is the alcoholic father played by Jeremy Davies. He’s such a seemingly minor piece of the movie, but he is so good.

Taken from a short story by Joe Hill, it feels more like reading a good book than watching a horror movie.

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