I AM FEAR: A Horror That Asks, “Who Is The Real Monster?”

In a world run on fear-mongering news outlets shaping opinions en masse with the art of sensationalism and spin journalism, it was only a matter of time before someone would work our terrifying reality into a horror film. I Am Fear, directed and co-written by Kevin Shulman, does well to tell a tale so visceral in both the literal and figurative sense, you’ll begin to question which is more horrific – the supernatural creatures hidden in the shadows or the atrocities done by mere men in plain sight. Set against the recent California wildfires, the film revolves around Sara Brown, a right-wing news correspondent, along with her cameraman, who have been abducted by a terrorist cell that plans to behead them July 4th, online for the world to witness. As the clock ticks down, strange visions afflict their captors, causing tensions to rise amongst the ranks.

The premise is strong, only solidified by the excellent cast and unrelenting stride toward a dark conclusion. And there’s the rub. The ending. Not to say this is a bad film; far from it. Rather, I wondered if the filmmaker created what he did on purpose. This is an answer to be resolved by further analysis. Until then, and I never thought I’d say about a horror film, I wish they had spent less on the creature effects.

Let’s put a pin in that, for now.

Viewer Discretion Is Advised

When the film begins, the tone is far from the typical horror fare. It takes an approach to fear through lifelike portrayals of beheadings being recorded for the morbid masses willing to sit through such online horrors. This, as much as the threat is imminent, is not the film as a whole. Yes. You are show atrocities so well choreographed and stunted it sets up a politically charged McGuffin, but the third act twist is what defines the movie. What starts off as a brutally blood-soaked episode of Homeland ends up being From Dusk Till Dawn without the fun campiness. This feeds into my conflicted opinion of the film altogether.

Brutality against a fellow human is first and foremost when it comes to the gorier segments of I Am Fear. To throw an early warning out to our more sensitive viewers, if someone is killed on screen, the result is more than likely a non-apologetically depicted beheading. On multiple occasions, I found myself cringing at the hyperrealism each victim is put through. But, in some way, I can only imagine that this is why the imagery is so truthful in its, and excuse the term, execution. We, at first, are shown such nightmares in order to understand why characters are the way they are by exposing the lengths each member of the cell is willing to go. Some question the tactics, while others see their acts of barbarism as a higher calling, never leaving any of the motivations ambiguous, except for the shining star of the film Faran Tahir, whose portrayal of Asad, a fractured man playing for both sides, is nothing short of a standout. His performance kept me going through the more soggy parts and is the best example of how to elevate a movie that was easily going south.

I Kinda Like This Movie. Kinda.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I hate giving spoilers. The idea of giving one’s opinion on a subject should come with the responsibility of being honest without swaying another with personal bias. Therein lies one of the major challenges of being a critic: How much is okay to tell without ruining it for others? With this quandary in mind, I will do my best to be as vague as possible without destroying the third act.

How do I put this obscurely?  There is a monster effect in the finale which is truly unneeded. It looks dumb and could have been played by a person not caked in weird porcupine make-up, while still having the same effect if not creepier. Weird contacts and a sunken-eyed make-up job would have sufficed and in actuality would have had a more impactful resonance than the end result. There are better ways to do what needed to be done, only this wasn’t it.

That being said, I really like the twist all things considered. I know it sounds crazy. I just ripped apart a large swath of the film and still defend it. Why?

Here’s Why

I Am Fear, even with its tonally uneven last scene, is a better film than it strives to be. The last bit, scars and all, leads way to a final act ‘conclusion’ that sat with me long after the credits rolled. Impressed and frustrated, the twist is worth a mild recommendation for those who can stomach realistic violence. This is a well-made horror tale disguised as an almost Twilight Zone episode about the fear and gullibility of mankind. Take it as such and there is a powerful lesson to be learned about our culture of fear-mongering.

This is a recommendation with some reservations. Yes, watch it for the sheer brilliance of Faran Tahir’s believable portrayal of a broken villain. Watch for the twist, even with its flaws. But understand that this might not be for everyone both in a political and good taste sense of things, but decent enough for the adventurous sort. What I Am Fear was trying to accomplish is present throughout, I only wish the filmmakers would have realized how good it could have been if only they had a tighter ending to match the twist.

I Am Fear releases in the US on VOD March 3, 2020.