WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Reeling from anguish. We often find that in times of overt pain and distress, our tendency is to find means to cope in destructive ways, which only causes further encounters with despair and its originating circumstances. Even when knowing that what we think is healing us is actually causing more damage, what happens when it’s then discovered that everything we believed was happening may not have been what it seems? It is such a juncture that teenager Clara (Ava Psoras) finds herself immersed in as both she and her younger sister Cassandra (Alexa Mechling) have been staggered by heartbreak involving their beloved mother Emily (Betsy Lynn George). When ensuing events begin to unfold, however, truly pushing Clara over the edge, dark twists and a shadowy force born of the family’s past show what can happen when one person’s grief can take decidedly deadly turns.
Next, my Mind:
Back in July 2019, I had the opportunity to initially view what was ultimately the 20-minute proof of concept version of this now feature-length effort from writer/director/executive producer/producer/cinematographer/editor Don Swanson, producer Joe Fishel, and co-producers John-Patrick Driscoll and Betsy Lynn George. Expanded to a full 84-minutes, the new entry into the indie horror/thriller genre once more embodied a narrative that had much potential for greatness, but still managed fall a little short for this critic in the pivotal, but not necessarily all-encompassing, range of creepiness/scare factors, yet certainly excelled in several other ways this time around, especially when it comes to what I felt were additionally important, impactful thematic explorations found in the underlying, foundational concepts that focus on just how volatile and unnerved our very reality becomes when coping with traumatic experiences and the subsequent means we choose to handle them.
Combine this with the supernatural elements that find their way into the story, and it does work effectively as a whole to maintain the viewer’s attention, utilizing a slow burn approach that allows for the primary characters and their respective plights to be expounded on while not losing a sense of the grander pacing and intent the film delivers. Hence, what I am personally alluding to here is that while the paranormal aspects of the film I found wanting a bit in the ominous/chill-inducing categories, the deeper study into the building erratic state of being one girl manifests as she faces dark actualities about her family’s legacy and herself speaks volumes to the idea of mental health and just how imperative it is that those suffering from it be treated with due diligence, as the impact alone a shattered mind and soul can have, along with potential actions taken because of them, is more than necessary to acknowledge and address.
Likewise, despite said lack of the overt eeriness I hoped for, there’s no denying this narrative about one young girl’s journey through loss, depression, anger, consequences of torn relationships, protectiveness of family, the bonds of sisterhood, and the ramifications of it all on her and those around her makes for exceptional cinema, and I will definitively give the film props for the project’s undeniably purposeful and highly freaky finale, along with one whopper of a twist that solidified the worthiness of the tale being weaved. It still very much leaves things in a place that allows for both conjecture and the realization of the sinister, menacing truths about just how much of a ripple effect decisions made in the past can echo through time and continue to alter lives in the present, here through the mix of a malevolent force and the fragile, damaged state of existence a girl encounters. Add in the newly expanded soundtrack featuring appropriately atmospheric music from composer Mark D’Errico and newcomer singer/songwriter Mia Zanotti, and it rounds out the proceedings nicely.
Watching young actors playing angsty teens can be a slippery slope, since often it can all go just a bit to far to the extreme in the attempts to convey trepidation without being too melodramatic via overacting it. Here, Psoras wisely reins it in and delivers a solid performance in her role as Clara, the eldest daughter in a family rocked by unsettled days, who is simply wanting to find a renewed feeling of equilibrium with her younger sister whom she is highly protective of during the emotionally-charged upheavals they’re going through. Yet, even as we see the means by which Clara chooses to face the drama, it soon becomes apparent that what we think she’s actually dealing with may not entitle as much empathy as we might believe. As her descent into further anxiety and upended mindset continues to grow, the reveal of circumstances casts a whole new light on things, and throughout, Psoras does a fantastic job at not giving anything away until the perfectly timed moments when it makes best impact.
Likewise, Mechling emotes well and transports us into the life of a younger sibling looking to her big sister for guidance and comfort during a highly stressful time as Cassandra, whose still somewhat inexperienced, longing to be free mentality towards life could potentially get her into trouble. Yet, even as she navigates her way through the tough times she is experiencing, it remains evident her love for Clara is powerful and their tie strong, even when being annoyed with Clara’s interferences at key moments when Casandra feels she had everything in control. But, Cassandra’s part to play in the larger story soon becomes apparent, and actually adds to one of the more shocking turns in the pair’s path through anguish that puts the love she bears for Clara into question, with the final results of the occurrences as a hint of what could become her answer to right a grievous wrong. Overall, Mechling provides a more understated but no less important and potent presence to the events with poise and passion.
Supporting turns in the film are many, including George as the daughter’s mother Emily, who acts as a primary catalyst for everything else that begins to take place after the film’s initial sequences, Fishel as the girl’s father Victor, who seems to be more a source of questionable personal choices, mass frustration, and anger for them rather than a much needed comfort and voice of reason, Jace Armentrout as Jason, a young man with a past involving the girls, and perhaps Clara jealous of, and MaLynda Parker as the enigmatic Aunt Estelle who seems to carry secrets about the family legacy, and Mary Sack as Aunt Cecelia who tries her best to comfort Clara in a turbulent time. Additional turns come from Carley Ward, Ivana Kingston, John-Patrick Driscoll, Dana Langshaw, Grace Langshaw, Rosie Koster, John W. Iwanonkiw, and Brian Ceponis among many others. In total, “Occurrence At Mills Creek” remains strong and haunting, with enough impact and resonance to draw you into its slowly unfolding yarn spanning drama, thriller, and horror to ultimately create a decidedly unsettling look into the aftermath of pain, the repercussions of desperate decisions, and the realizations that those actions can have quite frightening response from elements of natural, and unnatural, origins.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
