‘Even lost souls need refuge’
Mystery Spot is a 2021 American horror film about a roadside attraction that brings the past to life for those unlucky enough to find it.
Written and directed by Mel House (Psychic Experiment; Closet Space; Witchcraft 13: Blood of the Chosen; Fade to Black 2001).
The movie stars Graham Skipper (The Leech, Bliss), Lisa Wilcox (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 and 5) and Debbie Rochon (Exhumed, Dark Ritual),
Plot:
A number of lost souls find refuge in a small motel in the middle of nowhere, its only distinguishing characteristic being the ruins of an old Mystery Spot—a long-dead roadside attraction with strange metaphysical powers.
Nathan and Rachel find solace in one another, both attempting to escape dark pasts that seem to be using the Mystery Spot to go from being painful shadows of their lives to very real entities of the present. Everyone at the Mystery Spot will be affected by its unique properties, but only some will survive its reality-shattering implications…
Our review:
The good thing about paranormal suspense dramas in the M. Night Shyamalan tradition: unlike much horror, they rarely trade in cheap gore, sex/nudity or vulgarity. The bad thing: they rarely trade in cheap gore, sex/nudity or vulgarity. Oh my, we are being cheeky, aren’t we? Alas, the even bigger problem is that such suspense-based plots almost always rely on a satisfactory twist ending to justify all that has gone before. And if you don’t have that…
Well, we have Mystery Spot, from Texas writer-director Mel House. The setup is a decent one, premised on a mostly forgotten tourist-trap attraction, the “Mystery Spot” (exact appeal and nature is left deliberately in the dark). And, from its jovial middle-aged gay guy to middle-aged and beyond “scream queens,” this picture is notably “inclusive” with cast diversity and un-Hollywood types.
Still, what to make of all the elements, including a freelance film-casting agent Nathan (Graham Skipper), auditioning a procession of would-be actors for a project with prepared, portentous questions (these sessions seem to send all the participants into strange and troubling altered states of mind), then mailing the video results off to parts unknown. Then there is melancholy Rachel (Lisa Wilcox), who says she “killed” her husband in a car wreck. Then there is the detective-like intruder parked outside, taking notes on all the people coming and going.
[Spoiler territory]: It goes on, for perhaps ten to twenty killer minutes longer than necessary, before the revelation that we are watching a kind of ghost story. Even that does not explain all very clearly. M. Night Shyamalan himself has had difficulty being M. Night Shyamalan, and viewers are more likely to find the slow build to the payoff a frustrating one.
That said, the actors all put in fine work, and leading lady Lisa Wilcox is well remembered by fans of the vintage Nightmare on Elm Street series. No knife-handed demonic Freddy types violate the moody ambience, which some viewers may find a commendable bit of restraint; others will wish there had been that level of thrill to this supernatural thriller.
Charles Cassady Jr, MOVIES & MANIA
Other reviews:
“The many questions raised by this slim setup remain unanswered until the conclusion […] Also, every now and again, a pile of sand appears. The early ambiguity of Skipper’s situation appears to be calculated misdirection, but is revealed to be either miscasting, off-key acting or poor storytelling once House’s intent — pretentious and metaphysical — finally emerges.” Flick Attack
“The pace is slow for the most part, though when it ramps up towards the end, that feels perfectly apt. This slowness isn’t dull by any means but is instead almost dreamlike, and it’s easy to wonder whether the strange experiences are actually happening or just imagined. The music and cinematography reflect this neatly…” Horror Obsessive
“Even if it doesn’t quite come to together, Mystery Spot is considerably more interesting than most cheaply produced horror movies. It is a tribute to House’s success overcoming his severe budget constraints and the cast’s ability to sell the premise. Even if you watch a lot of horror and cult cinema, it might just surprise you…” J.B. Spins
“It all revolves around the ruins of the mystery spot and the apparitions that seem designed to lure people here. It gets a bit repetitive and is sometimes too elusive for its own good, but the performances are good, especially from Wilcox (a mature, interesting lead) and Skipper, and it has a beguiling sense of eeriness.” The Kim Newman Web Site
“Mystery Spot is a below-par horror which sits in the chaff of Frightfest 2021 and I’m surprised that it made it to the screens of this prestigious platform […] It’s hard to tell whether it was a bad story, or an average story that was poorly interpreted – either way, it offers very little and is a chore to watch.” Love Horror
“Josh Loucka’s score is suitably ominous and unsettling, however, and much like the rest of the film, it soon becomes repetitive and consequently slightly annoying. Overall, Mystery Spot is a film of two halves, the first half sustains the oddball beats and keeps the viewer involved, the second plays its hand too early before becoming a tad wearisome.” 4 out of 10, My Bloody Reviews
” …ultimately the magical ‘mystery spot’ proves to be a theatrical space where you either choose to check out early, or stay till the end, transformed by what you vicariously experience and imagine there. The mystery itself, though, is life, death and everything in between, as House’s film offers ample accommodation and overnight entertainments to anyone – which is to say everyone – just passing through.” Projected Figures
“The performances of Skipper and Wilcox are standout ones, with turns by other cast members ranging from good to a bit stiff. House goes for puzzling material and a sinister vibe rather than gore or jump scares. He has crafted an unusual chiller that will reward those seeking out unconventional independent horror fare.” 3 out of 5, The Scariest Things
“Now while deeply routed in the horror genre, this is not your run-of-the-mill formula movie, it’s rather slow burn in its build-up and does leave major junks of its story open to interpretation, in a way owing more to David Lynch than genre filmmaking, and really relies more on otherworldly atmosphere than on spectacle…” Search My Trash
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