“DEMONS. THEY’RE A JOKE UNTIL THEY COME FOR YOU.”
Lair may not be the best horror movie I've seen this year, but I'm still thinking about it, and that says something. There is a current resurgence of possession genre horror, and I feel comfortable placing Lair in the company of well-reviewed films like The Old Ways and Malignant. A messy but entertaining film, Lair has the pace and tension of a thriller as it slowly evolves into a genuine horror movie.
In writer-director Adam Ethan Crow's feature debut, an intense opening sequence leads us to Parapsychologist Ben Dollarhyde's (Oded Fehr) jail cell. He has brutally killed his wife and son and is awaiting a second trial. His claims of demonic possession draw former friend, coworker, and occult expert Dr. Steven Caramore (Corey Johnson) to visit, only to find that Ben and his lawyer are blaming him, declaring that proximity to his ancient, cursed Madonna statue turned Dollarhyde into a killer. Seizing an opportunity to disprove this theory and perhaps make some money, Caramore becomes London's worst Airbnb host ever, placing an unsuspecting family with their own serious issues into a luxurious apartment fully outfitted with hidden cameras, and cursed objects from his collection.
Lair has a lot of cool ideas, but they are somewhat slapped together, producing a convoluted plot that can drag with the family’s drama before it gets to the real scares about an hour in. Notable is a suspenseful scene set at a Pride Day parade that crackles with tension. Undercurrents of domestic violence ripple through this movie, from Dollarhyde's massacre of his family to the troubled relationships between Maria Engel (Aislinn De'Ath), her teen daughter Joey (Anya Newall), and Maria's new partner Carly (Alana Wallace). Younger sister Lilith (Lara Mount) is somewhat overshadowed by the drama between these three talented actresses.
Once Caramore notices real paranormal activity, he fails to intervene. He is an unlikable character, voyeuristic, selfish, clichéd, spouting bad dialogue and drifting dangerously close to a parody. His gaslighting of Joey leads to terrifying consequences.
There is some heavy-handed plotting, including an unnecessary jump forward in time towards the end of the movie that is filled in with flashbacks using Caramore's video. I would have preferred to see the plot unfold naturally, but once the film gets rolling, there was enough carnage and genuine scares to satisfy me. The gore, body horror, and creature effects are great for a low-budget picture. The creepy twist ending may or may not be predictable to some. For me, it was a cool surprise.
Adam Ethan Crow, while early in his horror cinema career, has big plans for Lair. The middle film of a planned trilogy includes a prequel The Bone Harvest, and an untitled sequel. As he matures as a director, I see this as a unique attempt to breach the style of the Conjuring universe and present something genuinely different. At the end of the day, Lair can't decide which movie it wants to be, a thrilling family drama, or a paranormal possession film, but despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Why can't it be both?
Patricia Pirillo