As someone who has seen Backmask, a project we’ve been tracking for a while now, I’m now allowed to tell you that I enjoyed it quite a bit. It has a manic energy and polish to it that should please horror fans. I walked away from the film looking at it as a contemporary “Night of the Demons meets Evil Dead” blood-soaked ride that turns a lot of horror tropes on their head.
The film, based on an original idea by Nispel and scripted by Kirsten Elms, concerns a group of kids who throw an epic party at a rundown building. The concept of “backmasking” (the act of recording a subliminal message onto a music track that can be heard when the track is played backward) is brought up and the teens try it out. This unleashes a sinister force that possesses one of their own and paves the way for a string of violence that reveals a dark agenda.
The stuff that works in the movie? The idea of resurrecting “backmasking” (which we saw in films like The Gate and Trick or Treat) for a horror tale is welcome and gives the film an interesting jumping off point. The cast is strong – especially Brittany Curran – and their dynamic is lively, paving the way for some well-deserved chuckles amid the craziness that occurs. There’s a healthy balance of gore and laughs, but it doesn’t forget for a second that it’s a horror film first. The movie delivers some unexpected moments, too, and doesn’t cater to tradition as far as body count films of this type go. And there are some good creepy visuals as well. What I liked about the world that was created is that all of the teens know what’s occuring and call it out for what it is. When a friend is a possessed, they don’t spend their time pondering what the problem is – they call it out: He’s possessed, there’s a demonic force at play and they need to do something about it. This knowing attitude lends a lot to Backmask‘s fun.
My main problem is, without going into spoilers, is the film’s final act which gets muddled in exposition and big revelations. Backmask This could be fine-tuned (the film is still being tinkered with) and a bit more palatable so it doesn’t kill the momentum of the big, bloody finish. There’s also a bit of tightening that could happen around the film’s second act which finds some of the characters wandering around seeking some answers to the story’s mystery.
The credits say Backmask is executive produced by Steven Schneider of Paranormal Activity and Insidious. This film is a different beast than those two franchises. It’s got an aggressive heartbeat to it that showcases Nispel’s spirit when he’s not confined to a preexisting property. Hopefully, we’ll be hearing about some release news soon!
