Genre: Horror

Director: Robbie Banfitch

Cast: Robbie Banfitch, Angela Basolis, Scott Schmall, Michelle May, and Leslie Ann Banfitch

Studio: Cinedigm, Bloody Disgusting

Runtime: 110 Minutes

Release Date: In Select Theaters Thursday, February 9, 2023

Rated: Not Rated

Reviewer’s Rating ★★★★★

The opening credits of The Outwaters frame this horror tale as the memory cards left behind by a group of friends camping in the Mojave Desert give the viewer an overwhelming sense of familiarity. The slow build of the friends going camping while filming their project, a music video,  punctuated by ominous earthquakes, the group’s nocturnal endeavors find them confused by the distant deafening sounds which harkens to something like The Blair Witch Project; a comparison that will certainly come up during conversations.

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Director Robbie Banfitch wears multiple hats in The Outwaters. In addition to directing, he’s credited as writer, editor, sound designer, special effects, cinematographer, as well as starring in the film. Banfitch purposefully attempts to fool the audience into the safety of traditional ‘found-footage’ horror film tropes; however, he successfully takes us on a stomach-churning roller coaster of cosmic insanity that will shock you as the end credits begin to roll.

Once you get past the set-up, The Outwaters isn’t so much a horror film as it is an onslaught of surreal eldritch images and soundscapes. The dialogue consists mostly of the shell-shocked ramblings of off-screen characters coupled with most of the visuals leaving you literally in the dark as the camera opts for a pinhole point of view showing only what the tiny light on the camera has in its sights. Banfitch’s screenplay and cinematography are both equally vague but quite deliberate in what he chooses to reveal. Those who love theorizing are in for a treat.

While Banfitch’s film succeeds in unnerving you, I do believe the movie would have benefited from a second passthrough in the editing process as runs a bit long. The first half, while understandably slow to build the tension, does start to drag at a certain point. There’s a subplot with Banfitch’s character, Robbie, trying to get his brother Scott (Scott Schmall) to visit their mother (Leslie Ann Banfitch) with whom he hasn’t spoken to in some time. There are additional sequences of Robbie and Scott hanging out with the women of the group, Michelle (Michelle May) and Angela (Angela Basolis), as they pose for photos at local landmarks or go swimming at watering holes on their way to their campsite.

These sequences have nothing to do with what transpires in the second half of the film. At 110 minutes, tightening up by trimming a few scenes would have made The Outwaters slightly leaner without compromising its effect. The cast gives compelling performances, evoking a sense of dread of anticipation. Both Banfitch and Basolis are standouts; each have scenes that genuinely make the viewer feel uncomfortable in certain moments.

The Outwaters may turn off some viewers given its lack of conventional horror norms, the occasional nauseating camerawork, and the fact that the film’s resolution, or lack thereof, leaves you scratching your head. For those like myself, who’ve been craving something bold and original in the horror genre, are in for a nightmarish treat despite the somewhat tedious beginning. If given the chance, see it on the biggest screen you can with the volume up.

For More On THE OUTWATERS, Visit:
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13259610/
Twitter: @TheOutwaters

For more films from Cinedigm – https://cinedigm.com/movies-shows/

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