Gateway

Director - Niall Owens (Trust, Animal)

Starring - Tim Creed (Vikings, Maze), Kevin Barry (Michael Inside, Bridget & Eamon), and Laurence Ubong Williams (Humans, The Capture)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Crime/Thriller

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A couple of weeks ago I was asked to review the crime thriller Death Blow from filmmaker Chris Leto. I was surprised by how much I liked this blend of crime and horror elements. It made me wonder why there hasn’t been other films with similar premises. Around this time I received a message from an Irish actor I befriended years ago to check out the crime horror flick Gateway. I was really intrigued by this and the artwork really pulled peaked my interest but I was unable to watch it right away due to life and so on. After some time I was finally able to check it out and I’m glad I did. It was a very atmospheric and brooding horror tale. I want to thank John Ryan Howard for hitting me up to check this one out. 

      The film follows a group of low level thugs who botched a job and find themselves taking over an abandoned house. They attempt to grow weed in order to make back the money they lost for their crime boss. However, the lack of squatters in the home doesn’t deter them from moving in to work. Soon they find themselves overwhelmed by a benevolent presence and the real reason the home was vacant for so long. 

    I knew absolutely nothing about Gateway aside from artwork and the little bit of info given to me from the vague synopsis on imdb. The artwork really made my imagination wonder and I couldn’t wait to check it out. I really enjoyed the film but it’s one of those films that works for a first time viewing and stays on your mind for days after watching it but it doesn’t really have that much of a replay value. I liked it but I will not be checking it out again any time soon. The acting in this one is great. Some of the characters are bit more detailed than others but the cast does a fantastic job. The cast works very well together and the characters they bring to life is grounded and relatable. The story for this one is a very slow burn but once they are in the home the film does pick up. It has great atmosphere and a lot of character development. The first hour or so could have been trimmed down scientifically as to help with the film’s pacing along with a little more of the haunted house feel added to the film but that’s just my opinion. Finally, the film has a few deaths with a little blood but don’t expect memorable deaths with amazing gore. The kills fit the movie but are very limited with the blood. A little more imagination here would have went a long way. Overall, Gateway is a solid haunted house meets crime thriller flick that works. It’s a lot of fun especially if you are looking for something a little different. I highly recommend checking it out.