Karla is a medical student suffering under a few emotional issues. Her brother Blake is physically dying as he has a terminal sleep disorder that doesn’t allow him to sleep, and he is currently under constant medical attention at the Hospital Karla is working at. Her parents have both previously passed away, leaving Karla herself with a few sleepless nights. Anyways the Hospital decides that they can do nothing further for Blake, and Karla is left with deciding what to do from here. As luck would have her father’s ex-colleague Doctor Patrick, who also works at the apparently only Hospital in the region, has been doing a bit of mad scientist business down in a secret basement under the Hospital. And wouldn’t you know it he is working with insomniac patients and others with sleeping disorders. Naturally, under the cover of darkness, Blake is whisked below, and pretty much becomes part of an experiment along with a couple of others. During the course of Blake’s “treatment” Karla and her best friend are in residence, and wouldn’t you know it Karla discovers a stash of old videos about previous patients who have undertaken Doctor Patrick’s style of illegal treatment, a major surprise goes down there. However, more importantly, we soon discover that more disturbing things are happening than sleep deprivation, and those things cannot be explained by modern science.

So the basis of this movie is either going to work for you, or the door is probably not hitting you in the arse as you walk out of a viewing. So apparently God gave mankind sleep as opposed to biological necessity, to avoid opening a doorway to demonic elements. That’s either the weirdest notion you are going to get this year, or any year, or is a cool concept that is going to have you glued to the screen to see how things unfold. Spoiler warning, it’s going to unfold pretty much as you would expect. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, strange to tell, and there is one plot thread that I was not expecting, so hold onto your knickers and keep reading, I promise you might just want to catch this movie before the final paragraph.

Firstly, the atmosphere in this movie is working like no one has ever thought of the concept before. There’s no relief for the viewer, all about dark corners, dim lighting, and a feeling of oppression throughout. I was half expecting a break in the atmosphere, and I guess we get it in the ward (for want of a better word) during some scenes, but the break is all stark cold lighting so no real belief there. If I had to use one word for the approach, it would be “grunge”, no one is getting out of this movie thinking it’s all roses and puppies.

I was actually really happy with the mystery being delivered in this movie, Alan Grace and Daniel J. Phillips deliver a sort of double timeline without having to insert cuts and keep the audience wondering which timeline we are currently in. Lead Karla is down in the basement, apparently having no classes or training rounds, when she discovers a box fill of video tapes of past patients, and wouldn’t you know it her dad and mom were involved in a treatment program that didn’t really get where it should be going. Anyways we cut between a gradually worsening situation in the current world and a chronological viewing of the tapes, which by the way reflect what we are seeing as Karla’s brother starts showing some traits we are getting down and dirty with. I was appreciative of this approach as it kept things rocking rather than the audience wondering which timeline we are currently in; as other movies have made the mistake of presenting. And before anyone asks, nope we are not talking Ring here, think more Episode Nine.

Now a couple of people have been questioning a similarity to a warhorse horror franchise, and the tagline isn’t dissuading from that thought. But to be honest those people questioning this aspect have clearly never actually watch either this movie or the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Come on people, Freddie Krueger is a dream Demon, we are talking a demon here that only draws power when the hapless victim is lacking sleep. You seeing the difference here, and as opposed to the Krueger chronicles, the Scribes here offer up a reason for the demonic shenanigans, God granted human kind sleep to avoid the rise of a certain Denison of hell, that can only come forth if there is a lack of sleep. You rocking to the beat yet? Hell yeah, love a movie that takes time out to put some background into what’s going down, rather than saying “shit happens”.

So how’s the horror tactics you may ask, pretty choice with one exception I’ll get to shortly. The atmosphere is dark and gloomy and more importantly ominous. The scares are built on some simple tricks that will have you on the edge of your sofa, tearing pages from a bible etc., voice overlays, and some truly creep out moments. Darkness, and then suddenly something directly in front of a character, you get the concepts here, simple scares used to excellent effect. But overall this is about a gradually build up with Director Daniel J. Phillips not taking his thumb off the viewer’s spine at any stage of the movie. 

Okay to the exception, wow really wise horror movie makers would get off the 1970s CGI thing, it no longer works for a modern audience. Anyways Karla discovers there is an incantation that can send the demon back to where it came and does put this into play as things are at their most dire. Anyone watched a horror movie where CGI takes over and you are left face palming, well hello to that aspect of this movie kids, I audible groaned when this went down. How to throw some cold water on the audience, seriously where did this idea come from, cutting room floor material at best. At least we do get an ominous final shot which somehow makes up for this bollock.

This movie almost snuck under the radar, welcome to life as a Downunder horror fan, but I got word via another fan who only heard of the movie through a U.S channel review on YouTube! I got a copy on eBay for a pretty decent price, but note the movie is also appearing on streaming services. I would recommend you go and find a copy of the movie, through whatever means, as the flick is well worth sitting down with. Okay the final wash up is a bit on the nose, that CGI is really bad – on par with your ginger haired nephew creating it on a Commodore 64 – but otherwise a decent effort and well worth a visit. I’m just pleased I woke up to this movie before it disappeared into the ether never to be heard of again. Tell a friend, this one is a decent horror flick.