The Graves are not burial plots, they're sisters — Megan (Clare Grant) and Abby (Jillian Murray) are on a bonding road trip starting in the West and heading East toward the younger sister's intended new life and first real job. But first, we need to see the ladies videotaping each other, partying, and dancing onstage with a random goth group. They're cute, they're perky, and they're doomed. Normally this going through the motions of showing off the pretty no-name actresses and giving props to a band I don't know would annoy me, but in this case the set up serves a purpose. It actually does build the characters to something a notch above the usual cardboard cutout one usually encounters in flicks of this ilk.
Megan and Abby are vivacious and curious, welcoming the world of weird roadside attractions with open arms and video-camera running. On their way to see the World's Biggest Thermometer, the young lovelies are sidetracked by The Skull City Mine's irresistible self-guided tour. After being given the go-ahead by the tobacco-stained local yokel who runs the joint — she calls herself Mama (Barbara Glover) — the lone explorers soon find themselves stalked by Mama's baby, a 6'-5" weapon wielding whacko named Jonah (Shane Stevens) who's already killed a few tourists that day. Meanwhile, back in the nearby hick town, a sinister holy man (Tony Todd), awaits the new souls.
The Graves is an uneven movie, but not wildly so. It's enjoyable, overall. Much of what counts against it (budgetary constraints manifesting themselves in shaky CGI, some continuity errors, and the like) can easily be forgiven when one focuses on the writing and direction (by Brian Pulido), and above-average cinematography (by Adam Goldfine) as it pertains to difficult situations shooting outdoors and at night (although most of the action takes place during the daytime).
The acting is also uneven. An extended cameo by Bill Moseley is great (especially when he does an Otis riff on "They always ask 'why?' …"), and he himself is great, but speaking strictly cinematically the character is allowed to run on for too long. Todd is his usual quietly percolating man of menace and Glover's good, but some of the supporting grist for the mill are obviously friends of the director and producers. Fortunately the ones who really count, our two heroines, are excellent. Granted, they don't often have the luxury to show a shade of gray (they switch emotional gears way too quickly), but both the actresses and the characters they play are likeable.
The Graves is a fast paced, action-packed supernatural gorefest which thankfully stays away from indie horror cliché landmines like torture-porn, smart-alecky comedy, and the twist ending. It's just good fun.
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Check out our on-camera interview with the cast and filmmakers of The Grave