Many slasher films overlook the possibility of a fate worse than death. In real life, there are quite a few situations where simply being murdered would be the preferable outcome, especially when compared to something like being kidnapped and kept in a basement for the rest of your life. Situations like these have inspired great movies in the past, and Robert Katerwol’s new low-budget thriller, The Wall of Souls, hopes to be one of them.
The Wall of Souls stars Annette Nedilenka as Sam Greene, a disillusioned teenager who’s kidnapped by a deranged man in a carnival mask, played by Jim Sampson, who forces her to live alongside other captives in a makeshift dungeon. Though she’s kept drugged and chained to a radiator, Sam attempts to escape by enlisting the help of the maniac’s other victims, despite years of constant abuse which has left them eerily unstable.
The believable premise and resourceful protagonist are definitely the film’s strongest aspects, as nothing is scarier than a horror story that could potentially happen to anyone in real life. The clever script also subtly touches on psychological issues like Stockholm syndrome and the effects of isolation while still leaving room for humanizing character moments. It’s hard not to root for Sam as she attempts to unite the other girls against their captor through compassion and wit.
Despite these positive notes, the disappointing truth is that The Wall of Souls desperately needed a larger budget in order to work as a proper horror film. The amateurish acting and low production value really brought the film down a notch, despite some overall decent presentation and competent directing. Entire scenes that must have been terrifying on paper were poorly executed due to lackluster effects and an uninteresting location. These limitations ultimately overshadow the film’s best moments, leaving the viewer unsatisfied.
While it wasn’t that distracting at first, the awkward dialogue and line delivery soon made it hard to suspend disbelief, which severely hampered the film’s carnival/freak show-themed final act, not to mention some poignant character moments. This, coupled with some shoddy effects work and the fact that we’ve seen quite a few similar films in the past, makes it difficult to unironically enjoy The Wall of Souls as a serious movie.
That being said, the film is still an unusually interesting combination of slasher and psychological thriller. Though it would have greatly benefited from a larger budget, there’s still a few scares to be had with The Wall of Souls. The soundtrack is also exceedingly enjoyable if you’re into this recent trend of retro synth scores inspired by the 80s. In the end, the movie isn’t exactly the exciting thriller we may have hoped for, but there’s still some merit to the filmmaking surrounding it.
