Movies
[Review] ‘Be Afraid’ is a Competent But Deeply Flawed Thriller
Sleep paralysis and the appearance of shadow people are some of the most notoriously terrifying phenomenon known to man. Whether or not you believe the paranormal is involved with these occurrences doesn’t necessarily make them any less frightening, which makes them perfect horror movie material. Even so, there are remarkably few films on the subject, though Drew Gabreski is attempting to change that with his supernatural thriller Be Afraid.
Starring Brian Krause as Doctor John Chambers, Be Afraid chronicles the struggles of a divided family attempting to settle into their new home in a small Pennsylvania town. Unfortunately, Dr. Chambers is routinely stalked by otherworldly forces during the night, as he deals with the horrific effects of sleep paralysis. As these unexplainable episodes become more frequent, he’ll soon discover that the town’s dark history is somehow involved and that these wicked forces are after something – or someone – from his family.
Sadly, the story does feel more like a routine thriller instead of a horrifying exploration of these alleged real life incidents. That doesn’t necessarily make this a bad movie, but it is slightly dismaying to see the film focus on story elements that we’ve seen so many times before in haunted-house/ghost movies, instead of the much more interesting source material that the script is supposedly based on. That being said, mulling over what a film might have been doing really reflect on its present quality.
Nevertheless, Be Afraid is still a mostly compelling story about loss and family, and it owes a lot of its effectiveness to its competent cast. From Krause’s portrayal of a well-intentioned father to Jared Abrahamson’s role as a wayward son, these characters all feel extremely believable. Decent protagonists are often neglected in horror films, so at the very least we’re presented with relatable people to root for when things go sideways. This obviously masks many of the film’s flaws, though it doesn’t actually fix any of the script’s problems.
This leads us to one of Be Afraid’s most disappointing features: the lack of quality scares. Gabreski’s direction does a lot to keep the film visually interesting, but he struggles to maintain tension during some of the feature’s most pivotal scenes. He’s not entirely to blame, however, as the “creature” design is also quite lacking. Some more consistent scares could have compensated for the film’s issues in other departments, which make this doubly disappointing.
Despite these flaws, Be Afraid does manage to shine every now and again. Some of the more intimate family scenes are genuinely touching, and some of the paralysis sequences are at least somewhat frightening. It’s still unfortunate that the film doesn’t really do much with its creative premise, but I imagine we’ll be seeing more movies touch on this subject matter in the near future. As it stands, Be Afraid is a competent thriller with some entertaining moments, but it lacks some much-needed depth.
Be Afraid will be available on most VOD platforms on June 1st!
The holiday weekend means a light week for new horror releases, but it does bring the return of Dark Castle Entertainment to select theaters. It’s being joined by 6 new horror movies.
Here’s all the new horror releasing June 29, 2026 – July 3, 2026!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
You wished for it. The highest-grossing horror movie of the year (so far), Curry Barker’s Obsession, arrived on Digital on June 30.
In Curry Barker’s theatrical debut Obsession, after breaking the mysterious One Wish Willow to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.
Michael Johnston (“Teen Wolf”), Inde Navarette (“Superman & Lois”), Cooper Tomlinson (“That’s a Bad Idea,” Milk & Serial), Megan Lawless (The Death That Awaits), and Emmy Award-nominee Andy Richter (“Conan,” Elf) star.
Based on a story by director James Kondelik (Behind The Walls) and a screenplay by Canadian writer Victor Rose, survival thriller Pitfall headed home to Digital on June 30. Family is murder in this Cineverse release.
In Pitfall, a young man becomes separated from his friends in the woods and plunges into a ten-foot pit lined with spikes, impaling his leg and leaving him helpless. As reality sinks in and his situation grows dire, he realizes the fall wasn’t an accident.
The film stars Richard Harmon (Final Destination: Bloodlines), Alexandra Essoe (The Pope’s Exorcist), and UFC champion Randy Couture (The Expendables) as the ruthless killer who stalks his prey in the woods. Marshall Williams (The Ice Road), Jordan Claire Robbins (The Umbrella Academy), and Matt Hamilton (Murder for Sale) also star.
The Amityville IP leans into Jaws with Amityville Shark House, just in time for the Fourth of July holiday too, as it released on Digital June 30.
Will Collazo Jr. (Amityville Thanksgiving) and Shawn C. Phillips (Amityville Karen) co-direct from a script they wrote with Julie Anne Prescott.
In the movie, after discovering an ominous shark idol hidden beneath the decaying floorboards, Richard unknowingly awakens an ancient and savage force. As the entity begins to merge with him, a quiet coastal town descends into blood-soaked chaos.
With each victim claimed, the monstrous predator grows stronger, fueling a cult’s belief that their dark god has been reborn. Now, the race is on to stop the carnage before evil consumes everything in its path.
Phillips and Prescott also star alongside Tasha Tacosa, Maritza Brikisak, Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators), Adam Marino, and Carl Solomon.
Available on Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD as of June 30 is Jacked, directed by John Fucile from a script he co-wrote with Simon Fraser.
The synopsis: “Set in the summer of 1987, JACKED follows two small-town teenagers whose day at the lake turns into a fight for survival after their car breaks down and they encounter a violent stalker.”
Marla Jean Robison, Tom Koch, Anthony Cipriani, Wynn Reichert, Kam Perez and Bella Marie star.
Get ready to work up a killer sweat and maybe spill some blood with Slashercise, a workout meets slasher hybrid that arrived exclusively on Bloodstream on July 1.
Written and directed by Ama Lea (Deathcember), the retro-styled feature follows “a masked killer known only as Meathead as he stalks the fitness clubs of Los Angeles, turning workout sessions into blood-soaked nightmares. As the city’s top trainers are picked off one by one, a group of determined fitness fanatics must fight back before they become the next bodies on the mat.”
Vanessa Decker (Stiletto), John Bloom (The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs), Spencer Charnas (Ice Nine Kills), Sarah French (Blind), Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet), Sarah Nicklin (V/H/S/Halloween), Diana Prince (The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs), Jared Rivet (The Once and Future Smash), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp), Tiffany Shepis (Victor Crowley), and Lisa Wilcox (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master) star.
After a record-breaking box office run, A24 and director Kane Parsons’ feature debut is heading back to theaters with bonus footage. AMC Theatres is unleashing Backrooms: Everything Must Go Editiontoday, July 3.
In the film written by Will Soodik, the owner of Cap’n Clark’s Ottoman Empire discovers a strange doorway in the basement of the furniture showroom. He sets out to explore the mysterious, liminal space, walking headfirst into a creepypasta nightmare.
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsvestar.
AMC describes this release as a “theatrically exclusive post-credit” with additional footage from Kane Parsons. Expect 16 minutes of bonus footage, with the new version clocking in at 2 hours and 6 minutes.
The Last Exorcism director Daniel Stamm and Dark Castle Entertainment are back with Lockbox, in select theaters July 3. It adapts Soren Narnia‘s Knifepoint Horror Podcast story “Winthrop” by Emmy-winning playwright Justin Yoffe.
In Lockbox, “Seeking peace after her mother’s death, Ellen retreats to a rural town and takes in her severely traumatized cousin Winthrop. Their fragile domestic balance shatters when an erratic neighbor warns that Winthrop is dangerous. As strange phenomena escalate, Ellen must put everything on the line to defend Winthrop from a dangerous otherworldly entity determined to track him down.”
Lou Taylor Pucci (Touch Me, Evil Dead), Carla Gugino (The Haunting of Hill House, Gerald’s Game, The Fall of the House of Usher) and Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps, Backrooms) star.
This week’s new release roundups are presented by Lockbox.
Be careful who you let in. Carla Gugino and Lou Taylor Pucci star in Lockbox, only in select theaters this Friday. Get tickets.
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