Soul to Keep (1/5) – Netflix Movie Review

SOUL TO KEEP is a new horror movie on Netflix. It’s low-budget which is never a problem for us. Also, the opening credits were really awesome and raised our expectations quite a bit. Something the story couldn’t live up to – at all. On Netflix now, read our full Soul to Keep review here!

Soul to Keep is a horror movie out on Netflix now. It’s low-budget production but that never really matters to us as long as the story is good. In this case, the story really didn’t work for me.

However, I have to mention the very impressive opening credits that gave me the impression that I was about to watch something really cool. It’s a real shame that the actual Soul to Keep movie couldn’t hold a candle to its own opening credits.

Read much more in our Soul to Keep review below or go check it out on Netflix!

Have people learned nothing from horror movies?

When you watch a movie like Soul to Keep, any horror fan will feel like screaming at the screen; Have you people never watched a horror movie?! Don’t you know that reading from a weird book – with a warning not to – will only lead to evil and death?!

If only this movie had been produced as the horror-comedy it was originally (more on that later), then it could potentially have been pretty cool. Instead, it’s a subpar horror movie. One that has way too many (boring!) sex scenes that build on all the tropes we are so over.

Sure, Soul to Keep may still bring back fond memories of classic horror movies for some. But most horror fans will prefer re-watching the classics. Certainly not this super-light version of the classic B-horror movies.

Also, don’t even get me started on the cinematography. The camera is all over the place and from the beginning, I started fearing that I might need something to deal with motion sickness. Sure, it’s a “style”, but it’s something that filmmakers seem to find “artsy”. However, those of us watching the movie just find it annoying and distracting.

Horror movie featuring sign language

For me, reading subtitles is never a problem, so I just thought it was cool that Soul to Keep featured a lot of ASL [American Sign Language]. However, I can imagine you’ll either think it’s really cool or not like it at all.

Of course, horror movies have used sign language and had hearing impaired main characters in recent years. Just think of Mike Flanagan’s Hush (also on Netflix). Or how about the monster horror movies The Silence [Netflix] and A Quiet Place which has a sequel in the making.

For me, the only issue I had with the (admittedly impressive) amount of ASL used, was the fact that it didn’t seem believable. I mean, you must have been a very tight-knit group of friends in order for everyone to use sign language while talking in a group.

Only one person in the group is hearing impaired and it’s awesome that they all use sign language to keep her included. However, these friends don’t seem all that close later on. So why the hell is everyone so good and natural at using ASL? If only this had somehow been explained, I would have been able to just enjoy it. Now, I just think it seems off.

Watch Soul to Keep on Netflix

If you look up Soul to Keep on IMDb, it has a rating of 4.4 as of this review being written. It’s actually a bit too high, in my opinion. 

The explanation is probably to be found in the user review section which consists of two kinds of reviews. First, there are very positive reviews. Second, the reviews calling out all these fake reviews that are overly positive.

This is actually something we’re seeing more and more. So, if a very low-budget movie has reviews that are extremely flattering (and mentions the director by name), then it’s a red flag. Don’t avoid the movie, just be ready for anything.

The directors of Soul to Keep are David Allensworth and Moniere with a script written by David Allensworth and Eric Bram. According to the trivia section on IMDb, the movie is based on a screenplay that was originally a horror-comedy. Now that movie might just have been good. 

As it stands now, Soul to Keep takes itself way too seriously with characters that are all over the place. The actors do what they can, but the movie is not one that many people will enjoy. 

Soul to Keep was released on Netflix in the US and Canada on July 1, 2019.

Details

Directors: David Allensworth, Moniere
Writers: David Allensworth, Eric Bram
Stars: Aurora Heimbach, Sandra Mae Frank, Kate Rose Reynolds

Plot

Two siblings invite friends to their inherited, remote country home, but the fun stops when the group summons a demonic force from an old spellbook.