The Return (2020) #450

Easily one of my favorite full length features that I saw at the 25th annual H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival was “The Return”, a haunting ghost story about a young man who returns to his childhood home after his father passed away. It may seem like an overused premise but what impressed me about this particular film is how well it used its limited budget and how smart the narrative is when compared to similar films. 

Character development and relationships are often overlooked and forgotten in horror films in favor of action, plot, and jump scares but that is not the case with “The Return”. The story revolves around Rodger, his girlfriend Beth, and his childhood friend Jordan. The chemistry between the three feels real and genuine. As Rodger struggles to piece together his past, you can see how the stress effects his relationship with Beth as she tries to remain supportive while feeling neglected. And when it appears that there may still be a romantic spark between Rodger and Jordan, you can feel and relate to Beth’s hurt and jealousy. You also sympathize with Jordan as she feels left out and dismissed when she tried to share her feelings. Actors Sara Thompson snd Echo Hasbury really carry the film emotionally from beginning to end. 

Richard Harmon, who plays Rodger, has his own emotional demons to deal with. Wracked with guilt from the deaths of his parents and little sister, all at different times in his life, While struggling to find the real cause of his father’s death, Rodger begins to piece together his past after discovering that he had seen a psychologist when he was a young child. 

The manifestation of horror in this film is what I’ll call the Smoke Ghost. It’s a clever and unique special effect that really adds a sense of dread. It’s not overly used which adds to its effectiveness. Director BJ Verot and crew should be proud of this film and I hope it becomes popular when it is made available to larger market.