They Live In The Grey (2022) Review by Phil Newton
They Live In The Grey (2022) Review by Phil Newton
Don’t go reaching for those sunglasses just yet, this isn’t some late-in-the-day sequel to John Carpenter’s 1988 cult classic They Live. No, They Live In The Grey is in fact the latest Shudder Original release, written and directed by film-making brothers Burlee and Abel Vang (Bedeviled).
The film opens with the failed suicide attempt of our protagonist Claire (Michelle Krusiec) who we discover is still mourning the loss of her son, Lucas, one year since he passed away. Claire blames herself for her son’s death and finds it hard to open up and talk about her grief, which has put a strain on her relationship with husband Peter (Ken Kirby). Working for the local Child Protection Services, Claire is asked to look into the possible abuse of an 8 year old girl named Sophie (Madelyn Grace) so goes round to interview the child and her parents, Audrey (Ellen Wroe) and Giles (J. R. Cacia).
At first the family insist that Sophie’s cuts and bruises are the result of a skateboarding mishap, but then Claire (whose surname ought to be Voyant) senses a presence in the house and we witness an empty glass sliding across the table of its own accord. Pressured further by Claire, the parents finally admit that there seems to be some kind of supernatural force at work – at first it was just moving items around the house, but lately it’s turned its attentions to Sophie and is hurting the child.
“I see things that people aren’t supposed to see…”
The ghosts are stuck in limbo, reliving their past over and over, just wanting someone to help them but Claire is too busy dealing with her own personal loss and wants nothing further to do with Sophie’s case. However as these visions continue to haunt her, she learns more about the previous occupants of the house and decides she must intervene in order to protect Sophie from further harm…
The Vang Brothers have crafted an atmospheric film, with the palette of browns, greys and blues reflecting the sombre mood of the characters. They Live In The Grey is as much a drama about dealing with loss and grief as it is a horror film; it’s a slow paced affair that affords plenty of time to focus on Claire’s mental anguish – a terrific performance from Krusiec who you really empathise with here. However the film-makers do try and balance things out with sporadic moments of graphic horror and also deliver a final act twist which ups the stakes further, and as such the film ought to satisfy its genre audience.
