A Creature Was Stirring is a 2023 American horror film about a mother who keeps her troubled teenage daughter on a tightly controlled illicit pill regime. But after a Christmas burglary, their dark family secret may finally be exposed.
Directed by Damien LeVeck (The Cleansing Hour feature and short) from a screenplay written by Shannon Wells making his film debut.
The movie stars Chrissy Metz (This Is Us), Scout Taylor-Compton (Captive; Bury the Bride; The Long Night; An Intrusion; Ghost House; Halloween 2007), Annalise Basso, Connor Paolo, Danielle Munday, Brisbyn Hood, Nicole Holmes and George Schichtle.
Plot:
Overprotective mother and professional nurse Faith (Chrissy Metz) keeps her teenage daughter (Annalise Basso) locked securely in her room and subjected to constant methadone injections, their only means of sustaining a delicately balanced fever state that keeps a mysterious and terrifying affliction at bay.
However, when a pair of strangers (Scout Taylor-Compton and Connor Paolo) breaks into the home while seeking shelter from the Christmas blizzard, they quickly discover that this mother-daughter relationship stretches the limits of both dysfunction and reality and that the women are hiding a terrible secret — specifically, the presence of a malevolent houseguest who won’t be content to lurk in the shadows much longer…
Reviews:
“It’s anchored by the monster, but also the mother/daughter relationship. It slightly veers off track in about the last ten minutes when it tries to explain everything through a sudden twist. The film might have been better served without that sudden turn. That said, as a whole, this movie is an entertaining yuletide fright…” 1428 Elm
“A big part of A Creature Was Stirring is the relationship between Faith and her daughter. It is a tense pairing that sees the two get into some heated exchanges and all but forces the audience to pick a side. It is an unexpected layer that elevates things beyond just another creature feature.” AIPT
“A Creature Was Stirring is an obscure rendition of Christmas horror that barely even calls upon the holiday beyond dreadful winter weather storms. LaVeck’s direction lacks precision, and Wells’ screenplay swings too hard without consistency. Any mind-melting conclusion doesn’t shatter perceptions as spectacularly as it should, and that’s because it’s just one more zag after countless zigs lose their emphasis.” ★★½ Bloody Disgusting
“Director Damien LeVeck is mostly in charge of creating mood, attempting to launch a stylish endeavor on a limited budget, guiding actors through what’s meant to be a rough ride of emotions and revelations. A Creature Was Stirring has an interesting take on human frailty, but it’s really the stuff of short films, with LaVeck visibly struggling to stretch the story to a longer run time.” ★★½ Blu-ray.com
“There are moments that will leave you scratching your head as to how they are occurring, let alone the underlying reasons. Thankfully, it all gets wrapped up in a neat, bow-adorned box by the end, which offers up a one-two punch of shock and understanding. Fans of practical effects and old school creature features will appreciate the overall tone of this film…” Creepy Kingdom
“Despite its issues, it’s a very competently made film on a technical level and for those interested in some gory practical effects, it’s even worth a strong recommendation. However, the poor screenplay unfortunately brings the film down massively and stops it from being the next Christmas horror classic. Damien LeVeck is an impressive director but hopefully, for his next film, the screenplay can keep up.” ★★½ Loud and Clear
“The film’s climax, marked by an abrupt plot twist, slightly disrupts the narrative flow […] Despite these minor issues, A Creature Was Stirring is a memorable addition to the holiday horror genre. It combines a poignant mother-daughter dynamic with a haunting creature realized through superior practical effects and solid performances.” ★★½ Overly Honest Movie Reviews
For YouTube reviews, the trailer and more movie info please visit page 2
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