One of the key tenets of horror films is to make your audience care about the characters, and then put them through hell. If you can’t relate to, or at the very least have an ounce of compassion for those you see on screen, you can’t be expected to be invested in whether they live or die. This is what helps to build tension and suspense in horror, but is unfortunately lacking in many newer movies who throw all their budget and energy into sensationalistic SFX. Ash and Bone, directed by Harley Wallen, taps into this by mixing family drama with backwoods  creepers and a smattering of home invasion turmoil. 

Well-meaning dad Lucas Vanderbilt (played by Wallen himself) decides to take rebellious teen daughter Cassie (Angelina Danielle Cama), and new wife Sarah (Wallen’s real-life spouse Kaiti Wallen) to the outskirts of Detroit for a little family bonding. While his intentions are in the right place, it’s clear that Cassie wants nothing to do with Sarah or her place in the family, and is seizing every opportunity to act out in accordance. We get a few flashbacks to show that Cassie’s unruly behavior has been going on for quite some time, but is only exacerbated by the inclusion of a new stepmom.

Despite her wild ways, there’s a certain sarcastic likeability to who Cassie is, as well as for Lucas and Sarah, who for all intents and purposes are just doing what they should be as far as parental figures go. Bored and frustrated with her new surroundings, Cassie begins to explore the tiny town, and quickly befriends locals Tucker (Mason Heidger) and Anna (Jamie Bernadette). One minute the trio are sharing (illegal) drinks, and the next they’re off to explore the creepy 100-year-old-farm that’s a local legend.

The farm, known as the McKinley house, is inhabited by siblings Clete (Jimmy Doom) and May (Erika Hoveland), who have multiple disturbing rumors circulating them. When the three investigate the house, they uncover unsettling secrets; some backing the claims made about the brother and sister, and others even more sinister than anyone could have imagined. 

As one is likely to come to the conclusion on, it doesn’t take long for Clete and May to find out about Cassie, Tucker, and Anna and their illicit snooping. What follows mixes vengeful, psycho boondock dwellers with a little home invasion/captivity drama thrown in for good measure. Interwoven through it all remain foundational snippets of character arcs within the Vanderbilt family, who must rely on one another even when they’d rather not.

It’s these dramatic character elements amongst Cassie and her family that truly make Ash and Bone compelling. Yes, there are moments of shaky dialogue, and even more of derivative predictability, but you aren’t beaten over the head with them. They’re there, they exist, and somehow, they manage to not take away from the overall story. The primary reason for this is again, the fact that you actually care enough about the Vanderbilts to be invested in what transpires with them. It’s the glue that holds this movie together, and makes it easy to look past the imperfections.

The final act is every bit as fun as it is wild, and that’s exactly what the filmmakers’ intentions seem to have been. This is a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but also delivers solid shock value along the way for a fun, loopy romp through small town family drama.

 7 Out Of 10