THE BLACK GATE **** 2017 France Dir: Guillaume Beylard, Fabrice Martin. 78 mins
When Siblings David and Sarah are given a mysterious book on the occult from their Uncle, who is the last remaining family member in their bloodline, Sarah persuades David to go on a trip to get their uncle to translate the mysterious text.
They encounter mobsters on the run from the police, and all of them become trapped by demons, which unleash hell on Earth. As demonic forces are unleashed it’s up to David and Sarah to try and save the world and fathom what is real as they encounter bizarre dreams of the past, present and future.
I really enjoyed The Black Gate, visually this is a stunning horror film that is a true piece of cinematic art. I’m a fan of foreign cinema and much like the Italian classics with this film you are drawn to the visuals of the film, not solely focusing on language.
I have a very soft spot for true indie film productions like this, films made outside the big studio systems. When you watch films like The Black Gate, for example, you are getting a film made with love and passion for filmmaking. There’s nothing I like more than looking out for an indie horror film, and films like The Black Gate are the reason why you discover something very unique that you wouldn’t find on Netflix or flicking around Sky TV late at night!
Some great cinematography here and great performances from the lead cast Jeanne Dessart, Nicholas Couchet and Jonathan Raffin.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more work from Directors Guillaume Beylard and Fabrice Martin.
Fans of foreign horror films will love this French horror offering it has elements of Lucio Fulci’s The Beyond and even Zombie.
So if you haven’t tasted indie French horror cinema… dip your toe into this beast!
Review by Tony Newton
THE BLACK GATE IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON