Aftermath – Netflix Review (3/5)

AFTERMATH on Netflix is a horror mystery that works surprisingly well. From the mystery of the plot to the moments of brutal horror. It’s a bit too long, but the dialogue is realistic and the story works well. Read our full Aftermath movie review here!

AFTERMATH is a new Netflix horror mystery starring Shawn Ashmore and Ashley Green. I didn’t know what to expect, but from the beginning, the dialogue made the whole story come together. You don’t often notice dialogue unless it’s very bad or really good. In this case, it’s surprisingly good because it feels real and natural.

BASED ON TRUE STORIES

Yes, Aftermath is actually based on a true story and you can read up on this here *spoilers* >>>

The basic mystery of the haunted house story works well, despite this only being part of the plot of this movie. Also, I never expected that the horror elements of this movie would work so damn well.

Continue reading our Aftermath movie review below and check it out on Netflix.

Many elements come together nicely

The core element of Aftermath is the married couple played by Shawn Ashmore (Devil’s Gate) and Ashley Greene (the Twilight movies). However, the house where a murder-suicide took place also plays a key role. And yet, this isn’t the only element either, but everything works well and comes together very nicely.

Just one element is the fact that the husband (Shawn Ashmore) works cleaning up crime scenes. This results in some nasty scenes featuring various “creative” crime scenes along the way. And then there are the very creepy moments in the house, which work extremely well in their simplicity.

Sure, you may guess elements of this horror mystery about halfway through, but it doesn’t really take anything away from this film. Basically, it just means that you’ve watched a lot of movies and know what might happen in these kinds of horror mysteries.

The ending of Aftermath on Netflix *minor spoilers*

It’s very possible that you’ll guess the ending of Aftermath. Or perhaps just elements of the Aftermath ending. This Netflix movie has several plot twists along the way and there are hints throughout the movie. Just when you think you’ve guessed one thing, another element becomes the key focus.

If you’ve watched movies about hauntings, home invasions, and various “mind games” related plots, then you’ll probably catch on quicker. Even if you guessed one or two of these plot twists, then more are to come. And the final one is definitely the big one!

IS AFTERMATH BASED ON A TRUE STORY?

Yes, and we’ve written a spoiler-filled piece on the true stories behind this Netflix movie here >

Also, for anyone who doesn’t feel that the ending of this movie is realistic; You need to look up real stories and true crimes in this area. It is more common than you might think! I loved the ending, but of course, we’ve also covered several movies that feature similar plots (click here to be taken to the tag for those movies).

Watch Aftermath on Netflix now!

Peter Winther is the director of Aftermath which he also came up with the story for. This isn’t the first feature film from Peter Winther, but his previous movies have a rather low IMDb rating (under 5). However, he has been a producer on some major movies over the past decades. From The Patriot (2000) to the vampire movie Bit (2019).

Also, Lars. P. Winther is a producer on this movie and he has worked on some of the biggest movies in recent years. Including the new The Suicide Squad (2021), The Hunt (2020), and many movies in the Avengers universe. Either as First Assistant Director or Producer. Or both! And yes, Lars and Peter Winther are brothers, in case you were wondering.

YOU MIGHT LIKE

Our review of the crazy action thriller The Hunt here >

The screenplay was written by Dakota Gorman so she’s responsible for the great dialogue in this movie. This is only the second feature film written by Dakota Gorman after her own writer-director debut in 2020 with Natural Disasters. I should mention that it switches it up whenever this movie looks like it’s going down a stereotypical path. I loved that!

At just under two hours, the runtime is a bit long. However, it’s a solid movie in terms of story, acting, and overall entertainment.

Aftermath is out on Netflix in most countries from August 4, 2021.

Details

Director: Peter Winther
Writers: Dakota Gorman, Peter Winther
Stars: Ashley Greene, Shawn Ashmore, Britt Baron, Diana Hopper, Sharif Atkins, Alexander Bedria, Jamie Kaler, Travis Coles, Jason Liles, Ross McCall, Susan Walters