The Horror Show
Beyond the Grave
by Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro
Brazilian film Beyond the Grave is quite the unique experience. Watching it recently, I went in knowing a bit about the plot beforehand; the basic synopsis. I knew it had an apocalyptic setting as well as dark magic, murder, and mayhem. However, the picture in my head when contemplating this information was quite off. I imagined some crazy, wacky film packed with over-the-top antics and a roller coaster style. However, the final experience wound up being something else entirely. But was that a good or bad thing? Allow me to explain.
Beyond the Grave follows a troubled cop who is making his way through a world of decay and desolation. His companions are a young couple who contain more optimism, but our protagonist has his reasons for being of a morose personality. He is tracking a figure he refers to as Dark Rider, someone we are told took much from him and is downright evil. This “Dark Rider” is not described as a common mortal foe but more a supernatural force of a being. He refers to its ability to rise from death and possess a tendency towards destruction.
The trio spends some time with another group of people trying to survive at their house as they journey on. Things won't be easy, however, as a group of killers with a penchant for evil rituals have their sights on the crew. Thrown into the mix are zombie-like creatures shambling around and the looming fear of the end of the world.
To go too much further into specifics would be a disservice because really, it's a fairly simplistic film. I don't say this as a bad thing. It's not so much about hoarding up the senses with chaos and flash but is more of a dramatic piece that settles in a slow, calculating burn. At times, admittedly, it can feel a little standstill and overly artsy, but always followed by a redemption of an especially interesting scene. And in those moments the parts that seemed a bit tedious before suddenly seem to be worth it somehow. Like they were aiding the more meaty components. Obviously, a movie should never feel tiresome ever, but it's never really that bad.
The acting is great and none of the characters felt one dimensional. Our protagonist is certainly an anti-hero, to the point where he isn't necessarily on the side of overall good as much as the side of himself. But following him, I found myself truly invested in how he would end up, as well as those he had come to work with. The tone is solemn, but has its own flair to it, which is well complimented by the music which accents the scenes wonderfully. This is especially evident in the more prominent moments where the more important parts play out. There are some legitimately unexpected turns that I found to be quite bold, to the film's credit.
The film applies interesting touches to all the characters and mixes them in with the blend of genres. Characters have elements of western cowboys in them, but accompanied by Samurai swords and others with bows and arrows. The zombie element is played down for the most part, but even those characters are fit into the film in a specific way that doesn't ever take central focus, but is certainly memorable.
I'll admit at times Beyond the Grave can be a bit confusing, to me at least, but I think the style makes this acceptable. If it were a more straight-forward film I would be frustrated by the little moments that I couldn't quite follow but it has such an unconventional vibe that it works just fine. And I will never begrudge a film for trying to be different. In the end, I found it to be a satisfying experience that I certainly won't be forgetting anytime soon. The unique mixture of elements paired with strong performances and accompanying soundtrack make it a win overall.
P.J. Griffin, HMS
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