‘Curtain’ Film Review

A film about a disappearing shower curtain doesn’t exactly sound like the most exciting thing to watch. In the world of horror though this curtain can become something much more sinister, as can the place it is travelling to. So, what is with the Curtain (aka The Gateway)?

curtain

Danni (Danni Smith) is a burnt out nurse who moves into a new apartment, feeling it is perfect for her to have a much simpler life. When she hangs up her new shower curtain though she finds the next time she enters the bathroom it is gone. Replacing it, she finds once again it vanishes without a trace. When she decides to record her latest attempt on her phone though, the shocking truth is revealed.

Curtain is a smart film that doesn’t treat the audience like an idiot. This means we don’t get a full explanation as to what is going on with Curtain, we discover the truth as Danni, the main character does. As we see the recording revealing what is happening, the oddness of the event does set our mind running off in different directions to find a reasoning. Fans of classic horror/sci-fi will be picturing doorways to hell or other dimensions straight away.

To Curtain’s credit though the truth isn’t that straight forward, and neither is the film itself. The investigation that Danni and her friend Tim (Tim Lueke) go on is interesting and reveals just enough to keep us hooked. I’m not sure if the big reveal is as much of a success as would be hoped, but it gives enough of a reveal to put Curtain into that “weird movie” niche that some horror fans (me included) like.

When it comes to the characters, the actors do a good job at making the situation they are in believable. As we get closer to the conclusion, some do feel a little paper-thin, but in truth they aren’t exactly designed to be multi layered people who matter to the plot. This is why I didn’t become too distracted from the story by any bad or wooden acting, but actually was able to discover the truth was behind the film.

This is where Curtain succeeds. It does have a focus on what it achieves and it drags the audience along for the ride. Hopefully people don’t get lost in the understanding of exactly what is going on, because it can get a little complicated. I found I managed to keep invested and managed to figure out exactly what was going on, and could predict a few vital elements which helped me to understand what the hell was going on.

Curtain may not be for everybody, but if it clicks with you then you are in for a ride. This is a film that wants its audience to enjoy the discovery of what is going on with the shower curtains and what the truth is. While the end may not exactly be mind-blowing, it’ll still catch your thoughts few sometime after the credits roll.

Curtain is available through Frightfest Presents in the UK now.

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