Plant based horror is a small genre. At its best you get Day of the Triffids; at its worst you’re inflicted with The Happening. Now this subgenre welcomes, exclusive to Netflix ‘In the Tall Grass’.
Our latest chance to chill with Netflix is based on the 2012 novella of the same name by Stephen King and Joe Hill. It sees a brother and sister lured into some tall grass by the voice of a child asking for help. They soon become lost in said grass and things only ever get worse or them from there.
The film soon turns into a survivalist horror / thriller. Our heroes are persuade, tricked, attacked and even killed; only to have to relive the same experience again.
What the film does well is make you feel the characters frustration and hopelessness. There is a genuine feeling of unease throughout, which peaks and troughs at the right times.
Unlike 2008’s The Happening the plants here are an understated and terrifying foe. The moment when it stops moving with the wind is truly frightening.
Will Buie Jr and Patrick Wilson also give great performances. Will as the creepy child who the siblings enter the field to help and Patrick as dad of the year.
Something more akin with The Omen the films music at first seems jarring and slightly too much. This feeling does subside as the film progresses.
The films major down fall is the solution of leaving the grass is obvious fairly early on. I found this distracting throughout. Also if you’re a fan of clear cut endings, this isn’t for you.
For fans of Stephen King this is better than the recent remake of Pet Sematary; for fans of survivalist and time loop horror it’s an enjoyable watch. The film probably has less to offer to the casual viewer, as the simplistic plot and twists have been done better elsewhere.
Verdict: 7/10. Fun but flawed ‘In the Tall Grass’ is a popcorn horror to watch with friends and then argue what the hell was that all about.
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