Weekly Review -- The number of the beast

Burning Bright (2010) -- Creature features have been known to run the gamut from laughably campy -- hello, Earth vs. The Spider! -- to disturbingly effective, like that little shark movie that made everyone afraid of skinny dipping, or any kind of dipping, for that matter. Still, it is the union of inspiration and resourcefulness that produces the best scares, which is exactly what we get with this Carlos Brooks' film. After learning that her bank account was depleted, Kelly (Briana Evigan) returns home to confront her stepfather (Garret Dillahunt), who took out the last cent in order to purchase a tiger for a planned safari park. Having taken care of her autistic brother (Charlie Tahan) since their mother passed away and needing the funds for his tuition, Kelly finds herself in quite the predicament, but her troubles are far from over. In the middle of the night, she wakes up to discover that the aforementioned tiger has somehow entered the hurricane-ready, boarded-up house... The main reason the film works is its simple, unpretentious premise, with just enough twists and turns to surprise the viewer. The setting and issue of the hurricane season also works to the film's advantage, making the story that much more frightening and the stakes higher. Brooks generates a whole lot of suspense by using camera angles and subdued lighting, proving that a filmmaker does not necessarily need a big budget to create a juggernaut of unrelenting dread. Evigan makes for a tough yet sympathetic heroine, reminiscent of classical 1970s and 1980s horror protagonists, providing Kelly with quick wit and sharp senses, all indicative of the obvious struggles that she has gone through during the course of her short life. Tahan excels as her brother and Dillahunt does a great job as the opportunistic stepfather. Burning Bright is a good addition to the horror genre, a thrilling story that never compromises its tension and a hidden gem that might just amaze you with its ingenuity.

8/10