What distinguishes a similar movie from an outright rip-off? Deadly Intent is described as “in the tradition of The Babadook” in a recent press release and I can see why that statement was made. Both films follow a widow and her young song while they’re stalked by a supernatural presence. What saves Deadly Intent from becoming a rip-off is the family dynamic and the evil force that threatens that family’s survival. In this movie, Bryony (Rebecca Reaney) is struggling to connect with her son, James (Gus Barry), after the death of her war veteran husband, Steve (Peter Lloyd). Strange things are happening around the house and Bryony believes James is the culprit despite his adamant denial. When the house is damaged in another odd accident, Bryony whisks them away to their family home shared by her sister, Lisa (Lara Lemon), while they await repairs. The women are soon horrified to discover that the strange events have followed them to the new dwelling and they’re amplifying! Something is after James and it’ll go through the sisters to get to him.
Deadly Intent is directed by Rebekah Fortune based on the screenplay by Diana Townsend. These women succeeded in creating a story that goes much deeper than a ghost story that’s part Babadook and part Poltergeist. The family turmoil is much deeper here due to a series of previous factors including Steve having PTSD, Steve being emotionally and physically abusive to Bryony, and Bryony being a neglectful sister to Lisa. At first I was thinking that Deadly Intent belonged on the Lifetime Network, but that all changed when I realized how dark it was. Supernatural threats aside, this is dark. There’s no Hollywood story-telling that shields you from the real issues of PTSD, alcoholism and neglect. You get the full brunt of those evils here, in all of their realness, sadness and true horror. Deadly Intent is a thematic journey, one which reminds you that life and its ups and downs are just as big a threat as otherworldly attackers.
When it comes to the horror, Deadly Intent relies on old school movie magic to demonstrate its maleficence. Book cases falling over, sink handles being turned on their own, doors opening by themselves, etc. It’s not until later on in the movie that the paranormal activity really picks up. It’s not the spine-breaking, spider-eating activity that’s so common place in ghost movies now a days, so it was refreshing to see a story of this caliber that took a more nostalgic route for its attack scenes. I do think, however, that the horror takes a backseat to the emotional struggle between the mother trying to reconnect with a disturbed child. It’s as sad and as frustrating for us as it is Bryony and I feel as if that’s what the audience is going to connect with more than whatever is targeting James. I appreciate the attempt at making something scary, but Deadly Intent doesn’t have enough bite to lure in the larger portion of the horror demographic. It’s going to be hard for them, and myself, to champion something we’ve seen a million times before and often times better. And while I’m voicing a complaint, I’ll also mention that the way the ghost was beaten isn’t expressed accurately and failed as a climax. Again, just not enough bite.
Deadly Intent would survive well in the film festival circuit because of its onslaught of themes and values. It’s beautifully shot and the cast give really incredible performances, thus making this more of a heart string puller than you’d expect. And props to Gus Barry for displaying acting chops that were able to keep up with his more seasoned co-stars. I wish I could give this title a higher rating because of these things, but it’s being marketed as a horror film and it’s lacking in that area. Positives all around except for where it really mattered. Final Score: 5.5 out of 10.
