USA
2024 95 mins
OV English
Alex (Blu Hunt of THE NEW MUTANTS) 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 (played by stuntman Ben Smith-Petersen). 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.
Elric Kane’s first solo directed feature THE DEAD THING is what most supernatural horror films strive to be: razor-sharp, tragic, and unsettling. Not only is the film beautifully shot and exquisitely acted, but it reveals the demons of modern dating in a way that is both all too familiar and vehemently horrific. Host of the PURE CINEMA podcast, and Fangoria’s COLORS OF THE DARK podcast with writer/director of 2022’s GLORIOUS Rebekah McKendry, who also executive produced THE DEAD THING, Elric Kane’s expertise is indisputable in this finely tuned piece of cinematic art that acutely immerses the audience both visually and emotionally in the film and the glow of L.A. The 28th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival offers you the world premiere of THE DEAD THING! Swipe right for this profound piece of genre cinema that is destined to become a horror classic. – Justin Langlois