Creep

UK Release Date. 14 July 2015
Certification. 15
Running Time. 1 hour 17 mins
Director. Patrick Brice
Cast. Patrick Brice, Mark Duplass.
Rating. 67%

Review.

The premise of Creep is ridiculously simple. A struggling videographer, Aaron (Patrick Brice) answers an advertisement on Craigslist to spend the day filming with Josef (Mark Duplass). Josef claims he's terminally ill and wants to record a video diary for his unborn son. As the day unfolds, Aaron finds himself in an increasingly uncomfortable situation as Josef's behaviour steadily changes. 

From the outset, there's something off about Josef. His charisma, combined with an air of unpredictability and a lack of respect for personal boundaries, makes him both charming and deeply unsettling. Within seconds of meeting Aaron, he's hugging him, "Trust me [at the end of the day], that's not going to be anything weird at all." This initial invasion of personal boundaries is enough to make you physically shiver. An embrace from the wrong person is somehow much more unnerving than a brandished knife, and it is this constant uncertainty that makes the film so effective. 

Made by Blumhouse Productions - the company that also produced Paranormal Activity and Insidious - Creep has the distinctive low-budget, minimalistic feel that works so well for horror. Patrick Brice makes the most of the limited resources and the minimalistic approach actually enhances the film's creepiness. Tension builds steadily through atmosphere, dread and the power of suggestion. Creep is a testament to how effective storytelling can be.

Deeply unsettling, what makes Creep truly terrifying is its use of everyday situations and human interactions to create a sense of dread. There's one moment, after several fairly concerning warning signs, where Josef, a silhouette in the darkness, stands ominously at the top of the steps leading to his house and tries to persuade Aaron to come inside for 'one drink'. You're screaming at Aaron to say no, but no is a hard word to say unless you're absolutely certain being rude is the only option. No one wants to appear rude.

Creep is a psychological horror that preys on our fears about people, trust and the darkness that might lurk behind seemingly harmless faces, reminding you that sometimes the scariest monsters are the ones hiding in plain sight.