Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring…except for the spiny porcupine beast at the center of director Damien LeVeck’s claustrophobic yet muddled monster movie, A Creature Was Stirring. Penned by Shannon Wells, LeVeck’s sophomore feature welcomes us into the home of Faith (Chrissy Metz), a nurse and mother caring for her daughter, Charm (Annalise Basso), who is afflicted with a mysterious disease that transforms her into a dangerous monster whenever her temperature gets too high. Locked up and on a steady routine of drugs to keep her sedated, Faith has kept Charm isolated from the world. But when religious nut Liz (Scout Taylor-Compton) and her horny brother, Kory (Connor Paolo) break in, seeking shelter from a terrible blizzard, Faith finds the morality of her efforts to keep Charm from getting hurt—and hurting others—put to the test. There’s just something about the holidays that brings out the darkest of horror stories. Silent Night, Deadly Night. Black Christmas. Hell, even Gremlins breaks the silly fun with Phoebe Cates’ traumatic story about her chimney-fied pops. Maybe it’s that seasonal depression working its way into these Christmas-laced tales. Whatever the case, A Creature Was Stirring is no exception to the rule as it unwraps a grim story about addiction, motherhood, and the lengths we’ll go to in order to protect those we love…even when it means committing the very harm we meant to keep from them. A Creature Was Stirring opens on Faith standing by the front door, storm raging outside, briefcase in hand. We’ll later learn that she has a history with drug use, but this first shot tells us everything we need to know about her. She is a woman who is lost. A mother unsure of what to do. Desperate to run away from the responsibility that has been laid in her lap, yet unable to abandon the person she cares most about. Portrayed through a tortured performance by Metz full of grief and aching love, there’s a palpable sadness to the film creeping underneath the cheery Christmas music. Those who want their holiday horror stuffed with a seasonal aesthetic will be pleased with the dreary set lit by nothing but candles and neon lights, used by LeVeck to accentuate the uncomfortable eeriness that belies what is supposed to be a joyous atmosphere. Watching this film is like living inside of a creepy Christmas tree. At the tired though still beating heart of this Grinch of a holiday story are two kinds of monsters: One, an impressive though underutilized practical beast that might just be one of the coolest creature concepts in years, and the overbearing mother who feels she must keep Charm safe from a world that isn’t nearly as nice as the festive decorations outside imply. Most of the tension within the quiet house comes not from the beast lurking inside of the young girl, but from the mess of emotions that exist between the mother and daughter. That may be a disappointment to those craving a traditional creature feature and monster mayhem—of which there is far too little—but A Creature Was Stirring tries to make up for that with a bristling strain amongst the characters that keeps the audience questioning who the monster here really is. If only LeVeck were able to pull performances from his cast that felt genuine when confronting the humanity of each other, rather than sudden and forced attempts to drive the story down a new lane. While there are a few decent scares—one involving a tight snow tunnel that you’d never see me crawling through--A Creature Was Stirring seems less interested in frightening the audience than it does in eliciting the agonized pain of Faith as she fights for what she thinks is right without really knowing if it is. The isolated house, dreary atmosphere and fierce storm all instill a palpable sensation of internal torment. An allegory for drug use, this works both for and against the film, as I wouldn’t blame anyone for feeling lost as Wells’ script hops from basic monster movie into trippy oddity in which logic does not seem to apply. Odd instances such as a Green Lantern sex fantasy pull the film into the realm of the bizarre, distracting from the horror but intriguing nonetheless in its abrupt strangeness. All of it makes for a confused journey that leaves you feeling more bewildered than fully engaged. A questionable pro-religious theme and tip-toeing second act leave a lot to be desired in LeVeck’s loosely wrapped film, but an engaging performance by Metz that claws at the heart strings at least makes this a relatable monster movie that may stir something in anyone who has ever felt as if they’re trying yet sinking to protect someone they love…whether it’s from the cold outside, spine-tingling monsters, or the vicious teeth of past traumas threatening to bite again. Nevertheless, A Creature Was Stirring is one of those “it’s the thought that counts” gifts, a good idea destined for a forgotten shelf in the closet with all of the other holiday horror movies unable to make a lasting impression. A Creature Was Stirring creeps onto VOD December 12th from Well Go USA Entertainment. By Matt Konopka
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