‘What you do will haunt you’
Cheat is a 2023 American supernatural horror film about a deadly curse that is revealed to be much more than an urban legend.
Written and directed by Kevin Ignatius and Nick Psinakis.
The Four Eighteen Films production stars April Clark, Corin Clay, Michael Thyer, Will Bunk, Kyle Corbin, Danielle Grotsky, Paul Ignatius and Brady O’Donnell.
Plot:
On the surface, it’s believed to be another urban legend – a supernatural being from the afterlife is violently killing anyone who cheats on their significant other in the small college town of Silvercreek, Pennsylvania. But the town’s unusually high suicide rate is finally convincing both locals and college students that everything is not as it seems.
When Maeve (Corin Clay) – a female college student – sleeps with Charlie (Michael Thyer), the married man of the host family she is staying with, both sense the deadly curse is closing in on them. Unable to get anyone to believe them, Maeve and Charlie seek out a local history student to help find answers and figure out a way to defend themselves.
It all comes undone, however, as several people are horrifically killed by the savage being – one by one at a rapid pace. Eventually, Maeve, Charlie and the few survivors band together in an attempt to defeat the monster once and for all…
Reviews:
“The scares aren’t especially fresh, and iconography resembles that of other films, but plaudits to the directorial team for their timing and escalating the horror well. From the opening synth soundtrack to the knowing use of several classic genre conventions, Cheat wants to be good old-fashioned fun. And in its best moments, this is precisely what it is.” 2.5 out of 5, Horror Cult Films
“Overall, Cheat presents an intriguing premise, good performances, great cinematography and a great soundtrack. Sadly, the premise is wasted and no matter how nice the film is to look at, it’s a tiresome, generic and predictable It Follows rip-off that brings absolutely nothing new to the table which is a shame because this really could’ve been great.” Gary Cruise
“The plot follows the usual beats – awareness of the curse, preliminary victims, main characters under threat of death, attempts to end the supernatural reign of terror (Clara is a physical presence, which may be her weakness), and several more twists to follow. I’d suspect the ending will be an ask for some audiences […] but it struck me as a perfect, unsettling note.” The Kim Newman Web Site
“The movie manages to crawl under your skin with the haunting spirit coming slowly for its victims. Corin Clay in the leading role is wonderful, showing us an outsider coming to the town. While the supporting cast is great too.” 4 out of 5, Movie Reviews 101
” …despite some effective gore, the scares here resemble a checklist of standard tropes […] characters also say and do things which feel manufactured for plot purposes, rather than resembling actual people trapped in a horrific situation. From stilted line deliveries to a late death and baffling decisions, it all becomes difficult to engage with, right up to the Ringu-inspired ending.” Moving Pictures Film Club
“There are weird and wild narrative leaps here, with only the scantiest grounding in reality. It is almost as though the film itself is cheating on its contract with the viewer – and then, when Cheat finally reveals what Clara really wants, it unnecessarily overexplains everything with uneconomic flashbacks to key lines…” Projected Figures
Trailer:
Filming locations:
Warren, Pennsylvania
