BEEZEL (2024) - Movie Review
What if I told you there’s a found footage horror movie released in 2025 that was not only original but also refreshing?
Oh, and it’s also scary.
Let’s discuss.
Beezel is a 2024 found footage horror film brought to us by writer-director Aaron Fredkin and writer/absolute hotty Victoria Fradkin. The duo, much like my favorite filmmakers, The Adams Family, shoot all their projects as a team. They may not be household names as of yet, but they’re making a mark. It’s rare to see an indie filmmaker with an IMDB review score average above a 5.0, but somehow these two are above a 6. Not too shabby for microbudget / short filmmakers. I have 0 doubt these two will be hot commodities in the future.
The movie focuses on a suburban home in Illinois that harbors a sinister past, spanning decades and various owners. It's the haunted house of the town, the kind of place where kids challenge each other to ring its doorbell. Unlike typical haunted houses, this isn't a rundown shack. It's a large home that blends in with its surroundings, featuring a well-kept lawn and a new roof, which makes its dark history even more startling. Every resident has encountered tragedy, horror, and indescribable violence, and the audience is drawn into the experience. From the 1960s to the present, we observe chilling moments from the house's history through a documentary filmmaker's lens, a nurse's cellphone, and even a Walkman. Can any of the inhabitants resist the malevolent force within this property, or will they all fall prey to Beezel?
This film is a testament to the ingenuity of the low-budget filmmaker.
This movie uses so many techniques and old-school film tricks to make up for the lack of SFX budget, and it’s just plain brilliant. The film is shot in multiple formats, giving each era of vignette a unique feel, but tied together through the central theme of invasive terror. The use of Super 8, VHS, and HD gives the film an authenticity to the eras depicted and doubles down on the film’s fantastic atmosphere.
Now, this is not a purely found footage film. It’s a hybrid using the traditional third-person view to provide context to the showcase moments presented within the historical footage. As a viewer, it’s a fantastic watch as you get a feeling of almost being involved in the production. The characters take a step back from the viewfinder, and you travel with them. It’s a voyeuristic element that increases the tension, as the situations feel more palpable.
This film is the lovechild of 2012’s Sinister and 2015’s Hell House LLC.
This film works because of the restraint of the writers. This is not a film where the writer/director self-flagellates in front of the audience using robust dialogue or preachy messaging. What dialogue there is feels organic and natural. The characters are not just a mechanical element to move the story. They’re normal people who experience horrible things and react in ways that make sense. The cast is all-in on the story and execution, as there isn’t a weak link among them.
Bob Gallagher is incredible as the creepy, suburban dad in the introductory story. His presence and vocal delivery work double duty, especially with Lejon Woods’ masterful performance as the poor, unfortunate documentarian trapped with the unhinged homeowner.
But the breakout star is Victoria Fradkin. She is everything Hollywood is not. Her body isn’t pumped full of fillers or silicone, and yet she’s undeniably gorgeous. She has attitude, delivery, and the non-verbal skills to pull off the final girl trope. She has more dialogue than anyone in the film, and she makes the most of it. Her performance is subtle and deft, and you can’t help but root for her.
The central monster of the film feels unnecessary.
Now, the film isn’t perfect. I love practical effects, but the budget shows in the witch, who is shown far too much. I don’t think the creature needed to be seen in full at all, especially with the creature effects that rough. This film builds an amazing atmosphere for scares, but the excitement is somewhat dampened when the beast is inevitably revealed from the chest up. It’s a bad effect. I can see what they were going for, but the film would have been scarier had we never seen the creature’s face. The design is cool and feels inspired by Hans Christian Andersen and The Brothers Grimm, but the execution just wasn’t there.
The musical score and sound design, on the other hand, were both out of this world. This is a film built on atmosphere, which wouldn’t work without the appropriate audio vibe. The film has multiple layers of sound, depending on the format used for any given scene. The Super-8 sections have that telltale tick of the film reeling, and the VHS has the telltale tracking feedback.
Overall, this is a well-paced, tense, and atmospheric horror film that rides the line between haunted house, serial killer, and creature feature. While not perfect, it’s one to watch, especially with a group.
Check this one out on Prime / Shudder / AMC+ when you get a chance.
