The Breach (2022)

Starting with The Troop, a novel filled with disturbing body horror, author Craig Davidson quickly gained attention as a horror author writing under the pen name Nick Cutter. However, adapting Cutter's work's shocking, graphic, and often otherworldly horror is no easy task. Rodrigo Gudiño's second feature is based on Cutter's latest book, The Breach, and takes on the challenge of transforming the haunted house into a Lovecraftian nightmare. Although it fails to fully capture the unbeknown and visceral quality associated with cosmic horror, it is still a decent movie.

John Hawkins is about to finish his job as the Chief of Police in his small town and move to the big city. But, just before he leaves, he has to deal with one last case; a body that is damaged and hard to identify washes up on the Porcupine River. The authorities believe the body belongs to the missing physicist Dr. Cole Parsons. To investigate, Hawkins brings in local coroner Jacob Redgrave and his ex-girlfriend Meg Fulbright, who is a charter-boat guide. Unfortunately, their inquiry takes them to a decrepit house of terror with unexpected attendees and gruesome surprises.

Gudiño tries to create a sense of urgency by detailing the complicated history between John, Jacob, and Meg. The three characters have a tense relationship, with Jacob holding a grudge against John for taking his girlfriend and Meg still having obvious feelings for John. This creates difficulty in the investigation. The emotional drama is not effectively conveyed, and the production is hampered by poor delivery and a lack of passion. It also doesn't help that SLASH, the executive producer and guitar legend, composed a score that doesn't always fit well with the overall atmosphere. The guitar riffs make the sex scene more awkward and rushed.

Thankfully, Natalie Brown's character Linda arrives searching for her husband, who is missing following a tragedy and is at the center of the madness. Linda's motivations provide a stronger emotional foundation for the ensuing turmoil and offer significant narrative progression for the plot. The foursome methodically assembles Dr. Cole's experiments and the devastating consequences they yielded, escalating a haunted house into an all-out body horror nightmare.

The story's plot and characters are similar to those in Lovecraft's "From Beyond." A scientist tries to harness God-like power, an electrical device opens up doorways to other dimensions, and unwitting investigators face unspeakable terror. Gudiño's film is chock-full of shocking moments of body horror and horrifying imagery. Looming ghosts and creepy haunted house vibes give way to something more concrete and slimy. A lengthy scene involving a nail creates all the intended tension and discomfort.

The body horror is most effective when Gudiño uses brief, quick shots to capture the strange growths and oozy flesh while maintaining the feeling of mystery and terror. Unfortunately, the third act goes against this by trying to show everything too clearly and plainly. Again, the limitations reveal themselves, and close-ups of the otherworldly horrors look bad.

It's a shame that The Breach's potential is bogged down by its overindulgence and lack of clarity. The scares come thick and fast in this horror movie, but unfortunately, they become less and less effective as the film goes on. It's still got some good ideas floating around, though, and the gross-out images will stick with you long after the credits have rolled.