Plot
Three college students set out to document what other people dread most.
Release Year: 2009
Rating: 5.7/10 (4,603 voted)
Director:
Anthony DiBlasi
Stars: Jackson Rathbone, Hanne Steen, Laura Donnelly
Storyline The outcast cinema student, Stephen Grace, does not drive cars due to the trauma of losing his brother in a car accident. He befriends, Quaid, who since the age of 6 has experienced dreadful nightmares and daydreams about the death of his parents. Quaid proposes they research about each one's innermost fear. Stephen sees the chance of developing an original thesis for college and invites his friend, Cheryl, to work with them. Among the interviewees, Stephen talks to his colleague, Abby who works with him in the library. Abby has a complex about the way she looks. When the work is almost complete, Quaid has an outburst at one interviewee's and ends up destroying the camera and editing equipment. Stephen begins to re-evaluate the situation.
Writers: Clive Barker, Anthony DiBlasi
Cast: Jackson Rathbone
-
Stephen Grace
Hanne Steen
-
Cheryl Fromm
Laura Donnelly
-
Abby
Jonathan Readwin
-
Joshua Shaw
Shaun Evans
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Quaid
Vivian Gray
-
Tabitha Swan
Carl McCrystal
-
Axe Man
Derek Lea
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Quaid's Father
Siobhan Hewlett
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Quaid's Mother
Kieran Murphy
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Young Quaid
Cheyanne Raymond
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Zooey
(as Cheyenne Raymond)
Zoe Stollery
-
Shauna
Elspeth Rae
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Samantha
Erin Gavin
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Valerie
Kerry Ann Smith
-
Nurse #1
Taglines:
Your Time Will Come.
Release Date: 30 October 2009
Filming Locations: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Technical Specs
Runtime:|
USA:
(Blu-ray)
Goofs:
Factual errors:
When the flyer for the fear study is being copied, the light illuminates the original from underneath and the wording is not reversed. Since there is no printing on the side you can see, that means that the printed side being copied was printed backwards. Yet the copies coming out are printed correctly.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Quaid:
Maybe I'm not being clear enough. Maybe I need to be honest with you and tell you what I want.
User Review
Impressive
Rating: 8/10
A chance meeting between smart, sensitive Stephen Grace (Jackson
Rathbone) and charming, mysterious Quaid (Shaun Evans) results in a
college project to study the intimate fears which people have. With the
help of fellow student Abby (Hanne Steen), the advert is placed and the
camera begins to roll on a series of interviews as the trio start to
document their findings. However, each of the three has their own fears
to deal with, not least of all Quaid whose childhood is stained by a
terrible trauma...
Having never read the original short story by Clive Barker
("Hellraiser", "Lord Of Illusions") that "Dread" is based upon, i
wasn't certain what to expect from this movie. Last year we were given
the impressive (and criminally overlooked) "Midnight Meat Train" also
based upon a Clive Barker story, and "Dread" continues the trend of
incredible horror movies adapted from his work.
"Dread" takes its time setting up its premise but i hesitate to call it
slow-moving. Every scene is important to the story, and the chemistry
between the three leads ensures that you keep watching. There is a real
tension in "Dread" as Quaid's behaviour becomes more erratic whilst his
obsession with the project starts to grow to dangerous levels. By the
point at which the taped confessions are no longer enough for him, the
audience has spent enough time with the characters to feel
uncomfortable at what might occur next. It's rare to find a horror
movie where you feel genuinely sorry for the victims.
It's also good to see a movie about students which appears to be set in
the real world rather than a stylised Hollywood version of it; these
are multi-dimensional young adults rather than catalogue models
reciting hip dialogue to one another. The cast is excellent without a
bad performance to be found. Evans impresses as a character who is
capable of moving from charming to dangerous without blinking, but the
stand-out would have to be Laura Donelly who plays a girl with a
gigantic birthmark covering one side of her body. Although initially
brimming with confidence, her heartbreaking vulnerability gradually
rises to the surface and you can't help but emphasise with her.
Jonathon Readwin is also fantastic in a smaller role as one of the
trio's interviewees.
Don't be fooled into thinking that "Dread" will be your average
teen-stalker horror movie. Sure, there is blood and death but this a
more cerebral effort than usual; a bone-chilling descent into madness
and obsession with a careful and deliberate pace. There are no sudden
scares to be found here; only a creeping sense of foreboding and a
third act that will stay with you long after the credits have finished
rolling. Make no mistake; the final scenes in this movie are ruthless
and nasty, but they are also very well-written.
"Dread" is a solid effort. If you are a serious horror fan, this is
certainly worth your time.
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