The Return

This is a house full of secrets and complex formulas written on dry erase boards.  Trust me, though, you definitely do not know the answers in The Return, a new horror film with plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

From the very beginning of The Return, we are already primed for something otherworldly to happen.  Something strange is upon us.  Maybe it’s the interesting house which stands at the center of this inheritance or perhaps it is the unsettling childhood memories which swirl around Rodger (Richard Harmon, The 100 and Twin Peaks: The Return), but something just feels off about reality here.  It’s as if the supernatural is preparing for the ultimate showdown.

"our expectations for a typical haunted house tale are thwarted, rebuked, and then transported thanks to a script which doesn’t fail to keep us guessing"


 

Welcome to the ghostly territory of The Return, an award-winning supernatural thriller which stars Harmon and Sara Thompson (also from The CW’s The 100) as his girlfriend, Beth.  And it arrives courtesy of sinewy black spirits which creep through vents in bedrooms, spooky dolls, and a bunch of weird and unsettling events as childhood memories declare war with the reality Rodger and his two friends face within the house’s walls.

Just what is hiding here?  Turns out the scars from Rodger’s past aren’t so dead and buried deep in the past after all.

Premiering On Demand and Digital this August, The Return is a mysterious thriller as it deals with the how and the when and the why of the passing of Rodger’s father.  There is much to unpack about his passing and what he’s left behind for his son.  Much of this information puts Rodger and his friends, especially Jordan (Echo Andersson) on edge as the house unloads its secrets.

The terror has RETURNED!  Trust me, you aren't prepared either.The Return

With no place to run to and hide, glowing eyes filling every shadowy corner, Rodger, Beth, and Jordan have only their own fears to face in this very haunted house that is full of regret and bitter secrets.  If it sounds typical, hold onto your butts.  Things are about to get real freaky!

Writers, Ken Janssens and BJ Verot (the film’s director), aren’t thrilled enough with just the suspense that they have created.  There’s a whole other science fiction angle to this gem which pretty much solidifies its creativity as equations are revealed and experiments rewarded.  The Return is atypical in a lot of ways.  You just have to pay close attention and keep watching.  There are twists and turns that will definitely keep your eyes peeled on the screen as our expectations for a typical haunted house tale are thwarted, rebuked, and then transported thanks to a script which doesn’t fail to keep us guessing.

Co-starring Marina Stephenson Kerr, Zoe Fish, Erik Athavale, and Gwendolyn Collins, the only thing typical about The Return is probably your own expectations.  Prepare to be challenged by the journey it takes you on.

Winner of Best Feature at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, and Best Actor (Richard Harmon) at the New York City Horror Film Festival, The Return premieres August 10 On Demand/Digital from Uncork’d Entertainment.

4/5 stars

Film Details

The Return

MPAA Rating: PG-13 on appeal for crude sexual content and language.
Runtime:
90 mins
Director
: BJ Verot
Writer:
Ken Janssens; BJ Verot
Cast:
Richard Harmon; Sara Thompson; Echo Andersson
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
Childhood horrors can kill.
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor:
Uncork'd Entertainment
Official Site:
Release Date:
August 10, 2021 On Demand and Digital
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:

Synopsis: Rodger returns home from college with two friends to settle the affairs of his recently deceased father. They begin to experience weird and unsettling occurrences in the house. Rodger is soon plagued by strange childhood memories about a haunting by a ghostly presence. These memories boil over into reality culminating in an intense showdown with the terror that has come back. 

Art

The Return