James Wright The makers of this film asked way too much of its two young leads, who aren't the most amazing actors and are required to carry nearly the entire movie with just them in an old house. Not only that but the dialogue just isn't there, so no matter what their level of talent they don't have much to work with either.Then there is the direction, there is something very messy about most of the shots, and this usually does not seem to add anything to the theme of the film and just makes things feel confused. Also if this all wasn't enough there are also clear budget restraints that would hurt the film even if it did have decent actors, pacing, writing or editing.There is some slivers of possibly good movie here, but it is hard to really piece them together and not really worth the effort.

Michael Ledo The film opens with a biblical Osiris human sacrifice gone bad as an infant survives. Family Man crucifies himself with nails from his well stock garage or barn in this case. Johnny Petrie (Jesse James) the surviving infant was raised my Carrie's mom (Geraldine Hughes) wannabe. At 18 he inherits a farm and discovers his secret past as well as Emma (Magda Apanowicz) squatting in his Maine home, next to Stephen King's place, eventually playing something that sounds like Trent Reznor. Johnny wakes something up.The original incident took place about 1995, while the home looked like it was set in the 1970's. The actual farm is in Canterbury, Connecticut and not Maine. The mixing of religions was odd, but using a Horus Eye for an Osiris rite was all wrong, may Crowley have mercy on your soul. The production had a made-for-TV quality to it for much of the pace which I saw better than some alternatives.There are no "zombies" per se in the film, just possessed people who come back from the dead for a bit.Guide: No swearing or nudity. Implied sex. Only self crucifixion scene I can recall ever in a film.

lathe-of-heaven I really did honestly try to like this film. I normally do like small little low budget Indie Horror films, I really do. And, I think the premise was just fine. But, sadly, the script just ultimately took it down, I'm afraid. I don't think that the idea was developed very well; and I didn't feel that the direction was all that hot. The movie wasn't HORRIBLE by any means; there was some good camera work and a few suspenseful scenes, but all in all in my lowly and wretched opinion, I just didn't feel that it came together very well.Now, if you handed a film like this to a director like Ti West, for example, I think someone with his talent could have shaped and improved it substantially. There is nothing specifically awful about the film; some of the performances aren't really that great, but I do think the key with this one would have been having at LEAST a far more talented director who would have seen the weaknesses in the script and corrected them in addition to directing it in a tighter, more effective way.Now, let's get to the GOOD part...EMMA!!! I know, I know, I'm just being a perv guy here, BUT something about her... I thought that she was quite lovely... (sigh) Anyway, sorry... it is not very often that one of the Hollywood ladies catches my attention to this extent, but THIS one sure did!Anyway, my humble apologies, back to the film...So, I can't in all honestly really recommend it; it's just not that great. I was truly hoping for a much better film...

ersinkdotcom When reviewing movies, it's sometimes hard to judge them fairly by the mediums they were created for. For instance, to come down as hard on a TV-movie created on a small budget as you do a bigger one like the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" remake would be unjust. That's how I tried to look at Chiller's "Dead Souls."Johnny Petrie (Jesse James) inherits an old farmhouse on his 18th birthday from a family he didn't even know he had. Tired of living under the thumb of his overprotective aunt (Geraldine Hughes), he decides to visit his boyhood home and solve the mystery as to who he really is. Upon arriving, he discovers his father (J.H. Torrance Downes) was a local preacher in the small Maine town. He went crazy one night and murdered his entire family, leaving the restless spirits of his mother (Elizabeth Irene) and siblings (Kyle Donnery and Bridget Megan Clark) trapped in the house for eternity."Dead Souls" is an effective little supernatural thriller from Chiller directing regular Colin Theys. He does as well here with the haunted house genre as he did with the zombie genre when he helmed Steve Niles' "Remains." That might not win many over, but I thought the Las Vegas-set living dead tale was an entertaining entry into the world of Saturday Night straight-to-cable B-movies.Things tend to happen quickly in a 90-minute movie based on a 295-page novel. Yes, character development in the movie feels a bit rushed and it would have been nice to get them a little more fleshed out, but overall I thought director Theys and screenwriter John Doolan did what they could with the time they had allotted.Just like most low-budget horror films, "Dead Souls" has one big genre actor it relies on to help bring in fans. In this case, we have Bill Moseley ("Texas Chainsaw Massacre II," "The Devil's Rejects") playing the retired town sheriff who's privy to the dark secret the old farmhouse and its property holds. Moseley adds a level of legitimacy to the movie, as I'm sure filmmakers were counting on."Dead Souls" is presented in 1080p High-Definition Widescreen (1.78:1) and both DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo. The picture quality is clear, clean, and easy on the eyes. Whether you watch it utilizing the 5.1 surround sound or 2.0 stereo, there are plenty of creepy bumps, screams, and jolting sound effects to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat in anticipation of jumping through the roof.Special features on the Blu-ray release of "Dead Souls" include commentary provided by Director Colin Theys, Producer Andrew Gernhard, and Screenwriter John Doolan. There's also a tour of the set guided by Director Theys. Bloopers and TV spots round out the bonus material.Whether it was his intentions or not, "Dead Souls" writer Michael Laimo did a great job warning audiences what happens when you lose faith in God and begin to think you need something else as a religious supplement to the Bible. I'm speaking as a movie critic who happens to be a Christian, of course. This shows the tragedy the fallen preacher's family suffered all because he didn't fully believe and rely on God to take care of them and their eternal souls. To make a long explanation short, it highlights the dangers of mixing cult and Biblical beliefs together.I'm a sucker for ghost stories and, while not being as solid as theatrical releases like "Sinister" and others, "Dead Souls" still delivers enough scares to make it worth the viewer's time. The film does leave a little too much to the imagination sometimes when it comes to minor plot points. It relies on the audience's common sense to come into play and fill in what we don't see transpire on screen. However, if you can get past its weak points and just enjoy the movie for what it is, you'll find a decent little thriller here to keep you entertained on a Saturday night at the house.