Creep

Creep follows freelance videographer Aaron (Patrick Brice) as he arrives at a remote mountain residence for his latest assignment, with the character’s eventual dealings with Mark Duplass’ oddball Josef progressing from benignly bizarre to frighteningly menacing. It’s perhaps not surprising to learn that Brice and Duplass, credited with the movie’s story, improvised much of their dialogue, as Creep possesses a palpably meandering feel that persists for the duration of its appropriately brisk running time – which, in turn, ensures that the film is often as entertaining as it is tiresome (ie there’s an erraticness that’s been hard-wired into the proceedings). And although the opening half hour occasionally seems just a little too laid-back in its execution, Creep, past a certain point, adopts an unexpectedly sinister vibe that’s perpetuated by a series of suspenseful, downright creepy sequences (eg Josef blocks a door while wearing an animal mask, Josef stands at the top of a dimly-lit set of stairs, etc). It’s clear, too, that the movie benefits from Duplass’ seriously effective turn as the obviously-unhinged Josef, as the actor does a nice job of ensuring his character never quite becomes the generic bad guy one might’ve anticipated. The chilling final stretch ultimately confirms Creep‘s place as a better-than-average horror effort, with the movie’s less-than-consistent execution generally outweighed by a persistently unpredictable atmosphere.

*** out of ****