BOARDING SCHOOL: This School Teaches A Whole New Brand Of Horror

Horror films have begun a redefinition in recent years, a deeper representation of horrors of the world personified. Monsters have generated new fears in the silent haunting of A Quiet Place, while racism has found its own sadistic representation within a reinvigorated form of the body snatchers with last year’s Get Out. This year, re-innovation has found itself in Boarding School, a film by director Boaz Yakin that examines the ostracized differences perceived in others and in one’s own self.

Boarding School is not without its flaws, yet its meanings and representations dive deeper than the typical thrillers that have come before it. History is imbued between the lines of exposition and dialogue, discovering who we are and what will come to pass to become who we will be. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth Boarding School is able to achieve, as well as the entertainment it was able to maintain – placing itself within this new generation of horror.

School is in Session

Boarding School opens to an eerie score that seeps into the fibers of your nerves, putting you on edge, making the film’s initial jump scares all that more effective. Jacob (Luke Prael) frantically moves about his room, encompassing the tasks typically awarded to parents by their children – checking and proofing the bedroom from monsters. Jacob has been plagued with nightmares that cause him to scream into the night, his fear only matched by the unrequited attention of his mother (American Psycho‘s Samantha Mathis).

With the death of a grandmother he has never met, Jacob seems to spiral out of control, his fear and curiosity leading to questionable behavior by his mother and stepfather. At wit’s end, it is decided that Jacob will attend Dr. Sherman’s (Armageddon‘s Will Patton) Boarding School for the upcoming semester – giving added focus to his behavior and education. Yet, as the other children arrive and class begins, nothing may be as it seems.

Grade A Thrill Ride

While there are classic horror tropes utilized throughout the film, especially within its opening scenes, there is something more real, possible and horrifying that Boarding School exhibits. The reaction to Jacob being different and exploring his feelings of femininity and loss have a timeless resonance that will carry this film beyond its year of release. It’s potent and it’s personal, much of which is drawn from the director’s own life (check out our interview with director Boaz Yakin here!).

Fairly new to the scene, Luke Prael shines, his gaze mysterious, yet with a look in his eye that lends one to think there is more going on within the mind than he ever lets out – the wheels are always turning. He sees deeper into any character, and his portrayal matches this inner awareness. Many think he is only a small, quiet and shy boy, but these perceived weaknesses are his strengths, and Prael‘s encapsulation makes it all the more believable. Sterling Jerins‘ Christine contrasts Jacob, bringing fire, determination and defiance to the boarding school. Jerins invigorates her character with fire and spirit, bringing energy to the screen when there is hesitation from the others.

The supporting cast rounded out the school room children and dictators beautifully. Nadia Alexander will surprise you, both in appearance and talent, breaking away from her core classic and expected character portrayals. If you are a fan of Alexander, this is sure to amaze and satisfy.

Color that Burns Right Through You

I do not want to spoil Boarding School by any means, but I must acknowledge the use of fire within the film. There is such a representation of it throughout. The deepest representation is through the color scheme within the film. Right away, and carrying through in various ways, deep reds, blues, purples and blue are utilized – all colors of fire ranging from ambers to a blaze. They are inlayed everywhere, the colors growing in intensity as the film progresses. The lighting and cinematography were a key part to this successful execution and it pays off.

The richness of theses colors is made even more intense, with an even deeper contrast, when compared to Jacob’s life outside of the boarding school versus when he is inside. Everything outside has a brighter and softer blue to it. It is a rather dull lighting, while not warm it is safe. Inside the school, however, Jacob and the other children are enveloped in this growing contrast of rich hues. It is terrifying and horrific, yet strangely empowering at the same time.

Almost an A++

As with so many films, where there is success there is also weakness. While Boarding School is a stand-out in many areas, elements of its story and conclusion struggle to come to full fruition. The meaning and importance of Jacob’s grandmother is at times lost and forgotten, though not so much as to ruin the story, but enough where it appears underdeveloped, its reintroduction superficially random.

Makeup design, while realistic to the condition it is trying to portray, was seemingly unrealistic in a sense that it brought  instant drawbacks to apes in previous films such as Planet of the Apes or Peter Shepherd in Jumanji. While it was appropriate to the story, I did find its similarity to these other films distracting. The fact that the makeup draws up thoughts of apes alone speaks to its credibility on screen.

There is a also seemingly a fourth act to Boarding School that, while satisfying, seems overreached and out of pace. The film feels as though it has found its resolve and conclusion – a perceived end that would have satisfied viewers – yet it continues on. It feels added on, as though it were a second thought and a forced need to resolve presumed loose ends. Out of everything in the film, this was the moment that threw me off, the steady rhythm broken, a new awkward pace taking its place. It was sad that the film had ended in this way, instead of finding a way to possibly utilize this ending in a more rhythmic manner comparable to the rest of the film it was intended to conclude.

Conclusion: Boarding School

While not without its flaws, they are easy to overlook as Boarding School is executed in a manner that overshadows its errors. It follows in suit with the continued reinvigoration of the horror genre, breaking away from the cliché and introducing new scares – another shining example of the horrors to come.

Have you had a chance to see Boarding School? What did you think of its take on a modern day horror film? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Boarding School will be released as VOD and in US theaters on August 31, 2018. For all international release dates, see here.