Directed by Elric Kane
The name Elric Kane is probably familiar to you if you listen to podcasts. He is the co-host of Fangoria’s Colors of the Dark podcast and of Pure Cinema, the official podcast of Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Cinema. The Dead Thing is Kane’s first feature film.
The official synopsis is this: Alex is trapped in a downward spiral of shallow hookups and tepid connections, but she is caught off guard when her dating app swipes lead her into the arms of a mysterious, charming young man Kyle. Despite their passionate night, when the sun rises, the mystery man is nowhere to be found. Alex then sets out to find the one person who made her feel alive. Through her investigation, she reconnects with Kyle, but also digs up a ghastly supernatural secret. The pair quickly descend into a whirlwind of obsession, dependence, lust, and infatuation that has grave consequences.
Pros: The Dead Thing is a slick-looking film, and the two leads, Blu Hunt as Alex and Ben Smith-Peterson as Kyle give good performances.
Cons: This film is boring and I struggled to last the short 95 minutes. I think the film was trying to pay homage to the sexy thrillers of the early 90’s but it wasn’t sexy or thrilling.
The Dead Thing had its world premiere at the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival.
Review by Liz Williams
