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enchantressreads's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Addy Treadway is driving alone on a lonely West Virginian road when she has a near miss with an idling van. To calm her nerves, she takes a break from her road trip to a horror convention at a nearby diner and meets the truck driver who was behind her during the almost-accident, Mads. When it starts to snow, Mads offers to help her pass the Silver Creek Bridge to give her peace of mind. As they are driving, however, all of the light is blotted out by something with a dark presence and red eyes, and Addy is thrown into an unbelievable situation. With only her dim flashlight and her ex-husband berating her in her head, Addy has to survive the unexpected in order to flee from whatever is hiding beneath the bridge.
Below is a nice mix of the Mothman legend of West Virginia and The Descent, a cave movie with terrifying creatures. Hightower always knows how to tug at the heartstrings, so there's a story within the horror of Addy trying to break away from her abusive ex-husband and become her own person. Through her ordeal under the bridge, I believe she finally realized that she's capable all on her own, and without Brian nagging in her head.
I'm a huge Mothman fan, even going as far as to visit Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where the Mothman legend is famous. Residents reported seeing a giant winged creature resembling a bat, or a moth, or a bird, with giant red eyes flying above the trees. Not long after, in December, the Silver Bridge between West Virginia and Ohio collapsed, spreading citizens and Christmas presents everywhere. I had the privilege to drive along the Silver Memorial Bridge, which was built after the collapse.
With that in mind, I had very high hopes for Below. I enjoyed the story and the way it was written, but there were a few points that I don't believe were fleshed out enough. I still have some questions! But maybe the questions will remain, as mythical as Mothman himself.
I highly recommend Below for anyone who loves creature features. We surely don't have enough of them in modern horror, and I love to see it.
Thank you to Ghoulish for sending me an advanced copy to review! Below releases on March 29th.
CW: gore, car accident, toxic/abusive relationship
Below is a nice mix of the Mothman legend of West Virginia and The Descent, a cave movie with terrifying creatures. Hightower always knows how to tug at the heartstrings, so there's a story within the horror of Addy trying to break away from her abusive ex-husband and become her own person. Through her ordeal under the bridge, I believe she finally realized that she's capable all on her own, and without Brian nagging in her head.
I'm a huge Mothman fan, even going as far as to visit Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where the Mothman legend is famous. Residents reported seeing a giant winged creature resembling a bat, or a moth, or a bird, with giant red eyes flying above the trees. Not long after, in December, the Silver Bridge between West Virginia and Ohio collapsed, spreading citizens and Christmas presents everywhere. I had the privilege to drive along the Silver Memorial Bridge, which was built after the collapse.
With that in mind, I had very high hopes for Below. I enjoyed the story and the way it was written, but there were a few points that I don't believe were fleshed out enough. I still have some questions! But maybe the questions will remain, as mythical as Mothman himself.
I highly recommend Below for anyone who loves creature features. We surely don't have enough of them in modern horror, and I love to see it.
Thank you to Ghoulish for sending me an advanced copy to review! Below releases on March 29th.
CW: gore, car accident, toxic/abusive relationship
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Car accident and Toxic relationship
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