Part of a triple feature Horror night at Regency Cinema Valley Plaza 6 Theaters in North Hollywood on January 26th, Bonehill Road was a real highlight for me. Nerve shredding suspense, unexpected twists and turns and kick ass practical monster effects fuel Bonehill Road, the newest horrorfest from indie director Todd Sheets. The emphasis in the script is on character development and building intense terror rather than just one gore scene after another. And the film has much more impact thanks to this approach. There are some superb set pieces building to an impressive final third in a remote farmhouse surrounded by very effective werewolves, whose intelligence matches their savage and violent attacks. The pacing is perfect, allowing us to live with the characters as well as feel every outburst of violence and horror.The best element of the movie, what really makes it rise above other low budget productions, is the script and how well the characters are brought to life by a small but very talented cast who really do an incredible job. I appreciate that director Sheets didn't insult his audience by giving us poorly drawn characters who do the dumbest things. These people are smart, and make realistic decisions. Nothing here happens by "chance" and no one acts like a fool and makes terrible decisions. We can truly understand the way these characters act and behave.The central focus of the film is the Mother and Daughter team of Emily and Eden, played to perfection by Eli DeGeer and Ana Plumberg. Their interactions really seem real, and the chemistry between the two is honest and touching. Some of my favorite scenes involved just the two of them, trying to unravel a mystery in the dark woods of Bonehill Road. There's a consistent focus on these characters and the ways they are affected by this unreal and terrifying situation. It's incredibly intense and visceral, like all monster movies should be, but it also aims for the heart. The incredible level of acting in this low budget monster film rivals many big budget movies and makes a film about werewolves very believable. The audience I was with truly connected with the film on an emotional level..Scream Queen Linnea Quigley really does a great job as well, putting in a performance that will surprise her fans, as well as those used to seeing her in much lighter roles. Here she plays a character who, though only in the film for a short time, is a major turning point in the story. We've seen her in bigger parts for sure, but I can say with some certainty that very few of her movie characters have the impact on the viewer as this.With Bonehill Road, Sheets has taken a classic monster movie and proven himself as a genuine talent and force to be reckoned with in the genre. His take on werewolves is original, and although it had a small budget, Sheets has created a tight little terror film with great locations, sets and 100% practical effects that really deliver on the gore and the scares. The end result is intriguing, shocking, unpredictable and most importantly, realistic, playing perfectly to the documentary feel that Sheets strives for in the camerawork. Gritty and realistic but not falling into the whole Shakycam trap.A movie like Bonehill Road is further proof that in this age of ghosts, zombies and dull teenage-themed slasher films, werewolves should receive some sort of celebratory recognition as still being scary. The beasts on Bonehill Road are vicious and pack a very real amount of horror on the screen. This is not just a good werewolf movie, it's a very good movie, period. The Audience reacted perfectly, screaming and cheering at all the right places. Meeting the cast and crew at the screening only made the night that much more special. We were able to ask questions and give our opinions straight to the people who worked so hard to bring this wonderful movie to life.Werewolves were always my favorite monsters growing up, while all my friends preferred Vampires. There have not been many really great werewolf films since the 80s but Bonehill Road really is worthy of being added to the short list.

The domestic horrors of Bonehill Road are emphasized quickly and effectively early in the film, establishing a Mother and Daughter in serious need of a life change, on the run from a seriously abusive relationship. The film gives just the right amount of backstory that we need to care about the characters and paint a vivid picture of their plight… and once they hit the road to escape the darkness at home, their trip soon takes an even darker turn when they become stranded on an isolated road deep in the woods, right where a bloodthirsty pack of Werewolves lurk. The rest of the film is pure survivalist terror at it's best. The tension and intensity mount from scene to scene, twisting and pushing the scare factor up, piece by piece. It's what we don't see, at least not in full, that makes the film work so well. We get glimpses of something in the darkness of the woods, closing in on the Mother and Daughter, stuck in an impossible situation. Alone but smart, these characters avoid many clichés and pitfalls of other Horror films by reacting like REAL people, not cardboard cutouts. Also injecting some refreshing realism to the setup is that in this secluded setting cell phones actually work. There's no signal-hunting, but, also realistic, there is an honest and believable reason the cell phone is of no use to our characters.As the Mother, Emily, Eli DeGeer gives a stunning performance. She struggles with keeping it together for her daughter. Almost losing it a few times only to bounce back from the edge of a breakdown to find strength when she truly needs it. Newcomer Ana Rojas-Plumberg steals the show here as the daughter, Eden. At first she is angry at her Mother for tearing her away from her friends and school. But as the film progresses, not only does she grow to truly relate and understand why her Mother made the choices she did, but she also steps up and finds an inner strength to overcome her fears. Superbly acted, well-paced, and proficient with its chills, Bonehill Road is truly a visceral, sometimes harrowing, experience. It is very compact, tight and focused toward its ultimate goal of keeping us in a constant state of suspense, wondering where the monsters might come from and throwing an incredible mid-movie twist at the audience. And honestly, I found the film to be a resounding success. But there's more to it than the obvious werewolf component, much more, housed in some really outstanding performances from every member of the small cast, who more than convincingly convey the heartbreaking and occasionally shocking moments of a well thought out script. Through it all, director Todd Sheets shows tremendous growth as a storyteller. He has a firm grip on this story and creates a film that is truly an EXPERIENCE. A truly chilling movie that showcases fantastic performances and the work of a filmmaker who's willing to take some risks and makes it a priority to truly envelop the viewer in a nightmarish situation. It's an engaging and worthy watch that is a fresh and original vision of familiar material. Pulled together by a Director who shows no fear in his choices. Todd Sheets and his team deserve credit for creating truly menacing and terrifying practical monsters. Shot perfectly and shown JUST the right amount to keep them scary without showing too much.Bonehill Road is a low budget monster movie. And everyone involved is clearly proud of that fact, yet Director Todd Sheets has taken great care here to tell an actual story, with three-dimensional characters and deeper drama that perfectly mounts the well-crafted tension. Considering the meager budget, this film succeeds in so many incredible ways. Using only practical effects and NO CGI at all, the Werewolves are impressive, the splatter effects realistic and well done. The sound design is creepy and the lighting and camera composition always impress. Todd chose to shoot the film in a hand-held style, but not shaky cam. Everything is framed well, and each shot seems to be composed for maximum effect. In fact, I found the camera-work to be just as much a part of the story as the acting and creature effects.There are many twists to the film that I will not give away. To do so would truly ruin the fun ride that you will experience on Bonehill Road. This is a great addition to the Werewolf genre, done with real love for the subject. Old school in it's approach, made with all practical effects, but done in a very unique and new way that really impressed me. This film is a creepy, scary, intense experience. The perfect Halloween movie.