Anyone who loves indie horror also knows the flip side of the coin-that horror films made on a low budget often suffer in terms of acting, sound, story or cinematography. I'm delighted to say this is absolutely not the case in 13 graves. Paying homage to a combination of Brit gangster flicks and ghost stories past, Jacob Anderton, Kevin Leslie and Morgan James shine in this beautifully balanced piece that is as scary as it is as darkly funny. At points using heightened camp characters to ramp up the humour, the film doesn't sacrifice tension and from a technical angle it's incredibly impressive how much of the film was shot in exterior locations.
The only weak moment for me was at the end in the wicker man-esque tribal bonfire as some of the extras were a little too modern looking in their styling, but this is one tiny note in an otherwise fantastic endeavour. The twist at the end of the film is also a delightful surprise, with the final shot sending chills down the most horror-addicted spine.
The only weak moment for me was at the end in the wicker man-esque tribal bonfire as some of the extras were a little too modern looking in their styling, but this is one tiny note in an otherwise fantastic endeavour. The twist at the end of the film is also a delightful surprise, with the final shot sending chills down the most horror-addicted spine.