LORE (2023)

4 stars

Kaleidoscope Entertainment. Digital Download. Available Now

The anthology style film continues to be an enduring format explored by filmmakers – presenting several stories within it’s framework. As such LORE is one of the better of it’s ilk.

Four friends have decided to head out on what promises to be a “once in a lifetime” experience – you have Dan (Miles Mitchell), Donna (Sally Collett), Mark (Dean Bone) and Sally (Samantha Neale) – disappointingly it seems to be just a campsite, though organiser Darwin (Richard Brake) informs them the site is a place of evil.

As is often the case with these kinds of film, Darwin encourages each of them to tell a tall tale of terror around the campfire. First up is ‘Shadows’ which has Daniel (Andrew Lee Potts) being chased by debt collectors into a warehouse – but there is something in there that might prove even more dangerous. In ‘The Hidden Room’, a mum (Jennifer K. Preston) and her young son (Theo Preston) are clearling out an inherited house – and disturb the ghostly presence there. ‘Cross Your Heart’ has slimy Steve (Rufus Hound, clearly enjoying his role) taking his wife Cath (Katie Sheridan) to meet a pair of swingers (Alana Wallace and Jamie Lynch) – but he may well regret it! In the final segment ‘The Keychain Man’ an angry cinema worker (Finbar Healy) takes out staff and patrons at a midnight screening.

None of the tales are wildly original, however they are well told and directed variously by James Bushe, Patrick Michael Ryder and Greig Johnson. They are joined on scripting duties by Christine Barbara-Ryder. Unlike many of these films this isn’t a collection of shorts just arbitrarily shoved together and the film is shot by Scott Coulter, giving it a cohesive look.

The cast give it their all in what was clearly a low budget escapade – and Richard Brake is always good value.

Steve Kirkham