My Thoughts on Shelby Oaks
I’ve been following Chris Stuckmann for a while as a critic, and it’s fascinating to finally see him take the director’s chair, and going into Shelby Oaks, I really wasn’t entirely sure what to expect - could someone so steeped in watching and analyzing films bring something fresh to the genre, or would it feel like a fan trying to emulate their favorite horror tropes?
Shelby Oaks starts really strong, and the first fifteen minutes of this movie is very captivating, where you immediately become invested in Riley’s disappearance and the emotional fallout for those around her.
I was particularly drawn to the way the opening balances intrigue with atmosphere, and there’s a real tension here that doesn’t rely solely on what is there, as it's more about absence - Riley is gone, and we feel that loss through the small details and the reactions of her sister, Mia.
The tension in Shelby Oaks is quite well done, and is handled with a careful hand, even if it doesn’t always land perfectly, and there are moments where it all feels a little predictable, or when the jump scares were leaning on convention rather than ingenuity.
Camille Sullivan, who plays Mia, does well, as she shows both vulnerability and determination, making her someone you dp actually care about without her ever needing to say much, while Sarah Durn’s Riley is quieter in terms of screen time, but her presence feels just as strong.
Some of the dialogue though did feel forced at times, and there’s a sense that Stuckmann wanted to pack in every horror influence he loves, and the result is a film that struggles to fully settle into one identity, as it tries to be a found footage story, a supernatural story and a demon-focused horror movie all at once.
By the time the second act happens, you feel a bit distracted by these tonal shifts, and it all feels a little scatterbrained, with a constant piling on of fantastical elements, and I think Stuckmann just leans a bit too heavily on sudden shocks instead of letting the dread simmer, and there’s a missed opportunity to exploit the mood he had created.
The ending is also a mixed bag, and while I appreciated that the mystery of Riley’s disappearance was resolved, but the resolution does feel a bit rushed - there’s an epilogue that drags on a bit too long, and the physical confrontation that’s meant to be the climax didn’t feel as intense as it could have been.
I do think the film should had taken a slower, more deliberate approach here, giving weight to the emotional and narrative stakes rather than wrapping things up quickly, but despite the issues, I do think Shelby Oaks is a somewhat impressive debut though.
There’s definitely a lot of promise in Stuckmann as a director, and it’s clear that he has has taken a bold step in making a movie that reflects both his love of horror and his personal experiences, and I’m looking forward to seeing where he goes from here.