Joshua is a rare treat for horror flick fans such as myself. Here is a film that exceeds any expectation I had for it, and was truly disturbing in every sense of the word. I can't give away too much of the plot, because the twists are what make this film disturbing. In a nutshell, it is about a man who decides to go back to his hometown for a funeral, accompanied by his girlfriend. Needless to say, his family is pretty strange (a nymph sister who has sex with family members) and his friends are not much better (a serial killer who slaughters women he picks up in bars). It doesn't take long before things get a little fishy and creepy and we realize that something is definitely up. Kelby (the main character) seems to have something in his past that is pretty bad, as his serial-killer friend begins pressuring him to "not forget about what we did." And it is what the two boys did when they were younger that will truly shocken and disgust anyone with a conscience and sense of morals. I wouldn't have seen the plot twists coming a mile away, and the last 5 minutes of this film are more disturbing that anything I have seen in quite sometime.It's apparent why this film never made it to theaters: its low budget. But let me assure you that this film is more disturbing and original than any horror flick that has been put into theaters in awhile. Keep an open mind when watching it, and remember that it is a low budget DTV film. The pace is a little slow at the beginning, but the last half hour are exceptionally. If you are a fan of horror, pick this little gem up and enjoy. 9 out of 10

I love horror films, mostly low-budget ones which are generally more creative and more fun, but I definitely wouldn't recommend this one : the acting is very poor, the main character as expressive as my goldfish. The plot is very interesting, hence the disappointment. The intrigue could have been used in a great way, but here the good idea is wasted. At no point is it scary, the "spinning camera" scenes are laughable, only the main character's girlfriend is credible as a scared woman. Each time you start getting a feeling of entering the movie's atmosphere, the scene is cut and out goes the feeling : the small town atmosphere is just well rendered but the fast forward to the cop/friend ringing at the door messes it up. The cop's attitude was worth a Scary Movie plot. My advice : walk away and go watch Wolf Creek, Salvage or even House of the Dead 2, at least you get a laugh.

Not the worst movie I've ever seen, but definitely in the same ballpark. Being from Indiana (where the film was shot "on location"), I was hoping for much more. What some might call "creative, kinetic camera work" is really just a complete lack of understanding about what goes into composing a shot. I can't say how many times you will see the backs of people's heads while they are talking, or their knees as the enter a room, or huge chunks of wall or ceiling instead of characters, or characters moving on and off camera while we get a good loooooooooong look at the freaking lamp in the background. Some of the actors do a decent job - I just wish that I was offered the chance to care about them. The lighting... well, I could go on and on, so I'm going to switch gears and discuss the movie itself. It wasn't scary, which is a bad thing for a horror film. It was confusing. The idea was okay, but it seemed like the best parts were stolen from other horror films. There's a Leatherface scene, a People Under the Stairs scene, a Silence of the Lambs theme, heck - there was a scene from Bring It On that they ended up cutting from the film. I will end by saying that if the director (Travis Betz, I believe) gets a chance to make a film with the help of a cinematographer and a lighting tech (a sound tech wouldn't hurt either), that he seems capable of doing much, much better work. Here's hoping it works out for him.

What a twisted delight. JOSHUA delivers. If you want an intelligent story with horrifying broadsides every 10 minutes, great acting, chiseled directing, with a maddeningly dean-on score, this is the one for you...if you're legally sick enough to enjoy it! I did. Travis is the edgy director of the future, Ward was believable and poignant (and nice abs), and Aaron Gaffey, well... that Aaron... he terrifies and arouses at the same time...what an actor...see him in Jackhammer Massacre and The Revolting Dead. We want more Aaron...on a silver platter. See JOSHUA...YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED (though you might lose some sleep, especially if you're with a friend).