Reunion is a 2020 New Zealand horror film about a pregnant woman who returns to her recently-deceased grandparents’ old family home. Hoping to spend time with her estranged mother, the tenuous reunion slowly turns terrifying…
Written and directed by Jake Mahaffy (Free in Deed; Wellness), the movie stars Julia Ormond, Emma Draper, Cohen Holloway and John Bach.
Reviews:
This movie is a claustrophobic gothic horror dream, chronicling a mother and daughter packing up their beautiful, creepy old estate. Simmering tensions and shadowy ghosts arise, and the family has to face the many skeletons in their closet […] I really enjoyed this ride and the ending was surprising and pitch-perfect…” Annie Whitehouse
“Reunion is a puzzle box of a movie, except unlike the sliver of glass Ellie carries around from a vase she’s determined to find amongst her mother’s boxes, the pieces don’t seem to fit. The vase, and the mystery surrounding it, is actually the one storyline that does deliver some closure, but then there are other details that don’t add up…” Comicon.com
” …has eerie atmosphere in spades, thanks to direction by Jake Mahaffy and the score by Tim Oxton. In haunted house horror, it’s often at night where things get scary, but here, since the house still has secrets in the day, there are chilling moments when the sun’s shining bright, too.” Filmcraziest
“A dark tale of long-held family secrets (and lies…) bubbling to the surface. Fantastic location and production design. Gorgeously shot.” Kevin Doree
“Reunion is not a “good” time. It is a bleak, somber film […] For many viewers, Reunion is going to strike a deeply personal chord that resonates long after the credits roll. It’s a depressing experience. But it’s also an expertly crafted film anchored by a heartbreaking performance from Ormond and her tortured character.” Killer Horror Critic
“Reunion is slow and ominous, so it definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea as it slowly creeps towards its big reveal. But writer and director Jake Mahaffy has proved that you don’t always need ghosts and creepy masked murderers for an effective horror film. Sometimes your family can be the most scary of all.” Love Horror
” …even on a modest budget, Mahaffy expertly blends impressive effects and engaging visuals—kaleidoscopic shots, grainy home videos, creepy projector slides, microscopic closeups, and various substances dissolving in water—to amplify the atmosphere without distracting from the narrative. There are also a few practical effects that’ll stick with you.” Modern Horrors
“Reunion is a slow burn, building on discomfort and the growing realization of just how horrifying the truth will turn out to be. And when I thought it had revealed everything, it pulled another ace from its sleeve. I won’t say more for fear of spoiling the film’s impact but the film’s last twenty minutes lands not one but two brutal emotional punches.” Voices from the Balcony
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Release:
Dark Sky Films released Reunion theatrically in select locations and on VOD and Digital on February 5th 2021. The film will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 23rd 2021.
Cast and characters:
Julia Ormond … Ivy
Emma Draper … Ellie
John Bach … Jack
Cohen Holloway … Gus
Nancy Brunning … Kathy
Filming locations:
Wellington, New Zealand
Technical details:
95 minutes
Trailer:
MOVIES & MANIA rating:
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