Search - Beyond The Gates on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 10/29/2024...

Had some high and low points but a solid ending.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

George P.
Reviewed on 8/28/2017...

Two brothers reunite at the family-owned video store. Their dad is missing, and is believed to have skipped town. An old VHS game is found in the store office, and the mystery of their missing dad starts to unravel.

To its credit, Beyond the Gates starts out decently enough with a catchy theme, reminiscent of the older Dario Argento horror films. They nabbed cult icon Barbara Crampton to play the host of the titular VHS game, "Beyond the Gates". They succeeded at creating a dismal small town scenario with a mom and pop VHS store from the 90's, setup nicely with a short flashback at the beginning of the movie. The rare horror/blood effects moments are good.

The movie fails miserably in the areas of story, acting, horror, and overall entertainment value. For one, it's a drag - not helped at all by lifeless acting from the main players (Barbara Crampton does a fine job, but she's not a main character). The story deteriorates into a corny and unbelievable Jumanji-like scenario. At which point, any horror suspense that they tried to build is gone. It's no longer scary, it's a game!

Beyond the Gates is only 82 minutes long, and it took me three viewing sessions to get through it. A huge disappointment. It wants to be a throwback to great cult horror movies of the 80's (Re-Animator, From Beyond, etc). It is nothing like those great movies. Do not be fooled...this is Goosebumps with blood.

2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.