The visuals readily impress. The filming location, set design, and decoration look great, with fine sparing consideration for lighting. Filmmaker Ted Nicolaou quickly demonstrates a keen eye for arranging and capturing some arresting shots, making great use of the space of the setting. All due credit to costume designer Courtney Potter and makeup artists Michelle Almanza and Amanda Terry for exquisite work, amplifying performances from chief stars Kelly Curran and Lorin Doctor that already illustrate a seeming natural grace and ease.
With a runtime of only one hour, the film maintains a brisk pace not unlike noir flicks and cheaply made horror of many years past - conveying its plot succinctly and wasting no time. Brief exposition leads into a narrative that feels familiar in some ways, yet 'Don't let her in' is made so well that such a notion can be handily overlooked. Perhaps more than that, the curtness and directness with which the story advances lends to a small sense of being ham-handed and over the top - and that's surely true, not least of all with the sparing special effects that are employed. But instead of coming off as silly - again, I think this is so well done that such forthrightness actually impresses as sincerity, making the movie even more endearing.
Truthfully, in no small part 'Don't let her in' feels like the sort of earnest, hard-working, low-budget, abbreviated genre picture that Roger Corman and his contemporaries were churning out in the 50s and 60s - just with the sensibilities of 2021 instead of 1961. That slant allows the feature's small cast to lean wholly into their roles. Curran's part as Amber is perhaps a pretty typical horror protagonist, but she embodies the part with suitable range, making the young woman believable - of course with a turn at the climax. Cole Pendery is little more than a supporting character, but plays the part well, and Austin James Parker has an even smaller contribution to make, but gratifyingly makes the most of it. And maybe most notable of all, Doctor fully embraces the embellishment that the character of Serena allows, clearly delighting in both the alluring conviviality and the gleeful chewing of scenery that the role allows.
It would be easy to pick apart every aspect of the movie that doesn't meet a particular standard; there's a definite measure of inelegance to the presentation. But such analysis is also beside the point - all involved know very well what they're doing, and 'Don't let her in' has no intent but sly horror fun. This or that is exaggerated, elements of the story are vaguely recognizable, and the effects and editing are definitely a bit ridiculous. But it's also very well made, and entertaining - and with that, a great success.
If you're looking for a serious, visceral horror flick, this probably isn't it. But if you just want an enjoyable romp in the genre, I highly recommend 'Don't let her in.'
With a runtime of only one hour, the film maintains a brisk pace not unlike noir flicks and cheaply made horror of many years past - conveying its plot succinctly and wasting no time. Brief exposition leads into a narrative that feels familiar in some ways, yet 'Don't let her in' is made so well that such a notion can be handily overlooked. Perhaps more than that, the curtness and directness with which the story advances lends to a small sense of being ham-handed and over the top - and that's surely true, not least of all with the sparing special effects that are employed. But instead of coming off as silly - again, I think this is so well done that such forthrightness actually impresses as sincerity, making the movie even more endearing.
Truthfully, in no small part 'Don't let her in' feels like the sort of earnest, hard-working, low-budget, abbreviated genre picture that Roger Corman and his contemporaries were churning out in the 50s and 60s - just with the sensibilities of 2021 instead of 1961. That slant allows the feature's small cast to lean wholly into their roles. Curran's part as Amber is perhaps a pretty typical horror protagonist, but she embodies the part with suitable range, making the young woman believable - of course with a turn at the climax. Cole Pendery is little more than a supporting character, but plays the part well, and Austin James Parker has an even smaller contribution to make, but gratifyingly makes the most of it. And maybe most notable of all, Doctor fully embraces the embellishment that the character of Serena allows, clearly delighting in both the alluring conviviality and the gleeful chewing of scenery that the role allows.
It would be easy to pick apart every aspect of the movie that doesn't meet a particular standard; there's a definite measure of inelegance to the presentation. But such analysis is also beside the point - all involved know very well what they're doing, and 'Don't let her in' has no intent but sly horror fun. This or that is exaggerated, elements of the story are vaguely recognizable, and the effects and editing are definitely a bit ridiculous. But it's also very well made, and entertaining - and with that, a great success.
If you're looking for a serious, visceral horror flick, this probably isn't it. But if you just want an enjoyable romp in the genre, I highly recommend 'Don't let her in.'