Stay Out Stay Alive

Director - Dean Yurke 

Starring - Brie Mattson (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Random Creepy Guy), Brandon Wardle (Bumblebee, I Am Number Four), and Christina July Kim (Ant-Man, Silicon Valley)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Some things should stay buried"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     As I continue to use social media to find indie horror films I've never seen before I find myself uncovering movies that are quickly becoming some of my favorite horror releases of recent years.  Several weeks back I made a post in an indie horror group on Facebook looking for news to post on the site.  I soon met first time filmmaker Dean Yurke and he told me about his feature film Stay Out Stay Alive.  It looked interesting enough so he sent over a link for me to check it out for review.  I'm glad he did because I fucking loved it.  Thanks Dean.  

     The film follows a group of young adults who are branching out on their own and starting their own lives.  Some have professional careers laid out ahead of them while some are struggling with debt and secret pregnancy.  They decide to go camping near a series of abandoned mines in hopes of sneaking in to find gold.  One of them becomes trapped in an old mind following a freak accident but chooses to remain pinned while the others mine gold from a seam near her.  However, their good luck is about to change when they discover why the mines was abandoned in the first place when the miners first struck gold all those years ago.

     I had no idea what to expect when I agreed to review this one.  I really enjoyed the simple yet affective poster and the title but I had no idea what the film was about.  Once it started I quickly found myself pulled in.  I loved the movie and what it brought to the screen but there was a few little things I didn't care for.  The acting in this one is great.  We get so many different types of characters and even a small role from horror legend Barbara Crampton.  The characters all bring different personalities to the film and they all worked very well with each other.  The chemistry they have is great and that translates well on the screen.  I really enjoyed the acting in this one.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting but I really enjoyed it.  A haunting gold mine set in a valley that floods adds a sense of supernatural dread and a claustrophic setting.  I really enjoyed the story and how it wasn't your typical paranormal tale.  The film was more focused on how the characters treat themselves when faced with riches.  It was interesting watching their friendships deteriorate as the film went on with the supernatural aspect only there to steer the story.  I really liked that take on it.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick.  It's very character driven but we do get some visual effects of the spirits that I did not care for.  Their cheap look brought the tone of the film down and just didn't work.  Overall, Stay Out Stay Alive was a very pleasant surprise.  I loved the casting and the story.  The cast really did sell the film but the visual effects were a huge disappointment.  I still recommend this one so be sure to check it out!