‘Shelby Oaks’ Review – An Effective Hybrid Of Horror Sub-Genres That Delivers

Opening yourself up to criticism is never easy, and it has to be extremely difficult when you’ve shifted to creating content as someone who used to hand out the criticism yourself. This is the position that Chris Stuckmann has found himself in. Stuckmann is known as a YouTuber and one of the most popular film critics on the platform, who has transitioned to filmmaking with Shelby Oaks, a supernatural horror film he produced, wrote, and directed. It’s a journey that just about anyone could respect. Filming was set to begin in 2021 but was halted due to issues with money and a looming strike by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees trade union. Likely due to his massive following on YouTube, funding was achieved via a Kickstarter campaign that turned into the most-funded horror movie endeavor when it raised $650,000 on its way to crossing $1 million. Along the way, Neon, which has become the indie studio for groundbreaking horror films and talent, acquired the worldwide distribution rights, and Mike Flanagan, one of the best voices working in horror today, was announced as one of the film’s executive producers. Shelby Oaks is first and foremost a passion project, and that shines through in the final product, which is a hybrid of horror sub-genres that culminates in an effectively chilling motion picture. One part found-footage horror mystery that’s mixed with supernatural elements and possession DNA, Shelby Oaks may not be the most original endeavor, but it shows Stuckmann has a lot of promise and a deep understanding of the genre. This should no doubt provide sufficient chills during the closing days of spooky season and beyond.

Shelby Oaks sets up its mystery by telling a very human story. Mia Brennan (Camille Sullivan) has been searching for her missing younger sister, Riley (Sarah Durn), for years since Riley’s disappearance while filming a paranormal investigation series. While Riley’s disappearance is what drives the film, Mia is very much the main character, as she has been the only one actively searching for her sister, even after twelve long years have passed with virtually no hope. This all changes when new evidence emerges and Mia is sent on a journey that becomes much bigger than the initial vanishing of her sister and hints at an evil that has been with their family long before Riley’s disappearance.

Stuckmann has been inspired by other horror films when putting together Shelby Oaks. Some might say that he’s borrowing too heavily, but it mostly comes off as an homage, with Stuckmann showcasing a strong stylistic eye for the material. The movie starts as a found footage mockumentary, which does its job to draw you into the mystery and Mia’s never-ending search for her sister. The stylistic choices were definitely influenced by the likes of The Blair Witch Project and the still underrated Aussie-chiller Lake Mungo, but that also comes down to some of the film’s screenplay choices. There is an underlying sadness in Mia’s search for her sister that traces itself back to a looming sense of dread that has been with them their entire lives, which really calls back to Joel Anderson’s found footage horror film about a family dealing with the loss of their daughter. Much like that film, Shelby Oaks is an examination of grief and how sometimes some of the biggest mysteries can be linked to events in our childhood and through the family itself. Stuckmann has an understanding that the horror works best when there is more of an emotional connection and isn’t just an empty spookfest.

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Shelby Oaks eventually becomes a traditional horror movie with a few more switches between styles and influences along the way. It can be argued that Stuckmann may have been better served by sticking to one style and narrative focus, so the film didn’t potentially become a muddled hodge-podge of horror movie tropes, but one has to respect his ambition and the amount of control he has over the material, even when it feels like too much may have been put into the spooky season blender. This is obviously a story that Stuckmann has had time to mull over, and that’s why he manages not to lose his sense of where things are headed. Beyond being based on an online marketing campaign showcasing the fictional paranormal team, the Paranormal Paranoids, it’s said that it also has ties to Stuckmann’s own upbringing and his sister being ostracized from Jehovah’s Witnesses. It’s the personal touch that proves to be one of the film’s biggest assets, along with his clear love for the genre.

As is the case with most horror films shrouded in mystery, it’s best to go into this movie a bit blind. To describe some of the film’s best moments would dive into spoiler territory, but horror fans should know that the build-up is satisfying and the outcome is well worth the journey. The central mystery is intriguing, and it becomes more intricate and horrifying as it unwavels. It speaks to more than what’s on the surface and looks into how far people will go to satisfy their deepest desires. The film plays like a slow-burn, but Stuckmann drenches his film with sufficient atmosphere to keep audiences interested, and he proves to be quite good at setting up a few jump scares that actually work. As for the ending, it all concludes on a completely shocking note that could divide moviegoers, but for this viewer, it all worked because it worked well with everything that built up to it.

Stuckmann is blessed to have some central performances that elevate the material. Sullivan is a true revelation, and she makes you feel every one of her character beats. You buy her as a protective and loving sister whose determination and desperation for finding her sister never wavers. It’s important that Mia feels real for the audience, and it’s Sullivan’s performance that drives that element home. Even as she has sacrificed other personal relationships due to her dedication to her sister, her heart is always on display, and that’s necessary for the audience to believe that she would put herself into some actively dangerous situations along her journey. Also notable is Durn, who manages to make Riley a tangible presence despite primarily being seen in shaky found footage from her paranormal investigation. There are moments when Durn has to show palpable fear, and her reactions are so visceral that it’s impossible not to feel the fear with her. Together, Sullivan and Durn form a bond as siblings that is driven through their performances despite the nature of the story keeping their stories apart in a traditional sense. They both help sell Stuckmann’s tale of mystery, horror, and trauma.

Shelby Oaks is a more than adequate beginning to what should prove to be a long filmmaking career for Stuckmann. There might be potential haters out there who want him to fail because of his beginnings as a YouTube film critic, but should they look beyond wanting to troll and be naysayers, they’ll see a film that represents his earnest and successful attempt at paying tribute to a genre he has an affinity for while also crafting a story that feels exciting, fresh and new. Let’s just say that when he decides to step into another project, he should have no problem finding the necessary parties to back him up, because with Shelby Oaks, he more than proves himself.

Shelby Oaks hits screens nationwide this Friday.