Director Clayton Witmer delivers a heartwrenching delve into the human psyche, utilizing a spider-like monster as a symbol for the inner monstrosity of us all. Ethan Daunes is a man lost in time, working an isolating night job while reminiscing on the past when his younger brother idolized him. He feels bitterness, jealousy, and resentment towards the people in his life who have moved past him, while he seems caught in an endless cycle of monotony. These emotions are largely centered around his brother Shane, who lives a far more functional life with his wife and daughter. Ethan simultaneously craves the past and resents Shane and his loved ones for having the happy life that he cannot seem to achieve.
These complex, poignant feelings are represented as a monster, whose horrifying presence is further elevated by the way the cinematography often occults it from our view. The monster brutally predates upon the people who Ethan perceives are hindering him from reclaiming his past, yet never eats them as one would expect. Although there is much debate as to whether or not the monster truly exists, two major moments strongly indicate that Ethan is actually the killer. The first instance is Ethan's lack of remorse at killing Brody, whose lonesome existence parallels Ethan's and who showed nothing but kindness toward him. The next is the reappearance of the chick that he purchased as bait for the monster at the beginning of the film. Ethan harbored none of the complex negative feelings toward the bird, thus giving him no reason to kill it, and since the monster is representative of Ethan's darkest inner thoughts, it has no need to eat the chick.
This film subverts the tropes of a traditional monster film beautifully by having Ethan serve as a character we all can relate to in some level, rather than a purely evil monster. While most people wouldn't be inclined to murder their neighbors to regain a sense of normalcy, it is a profoundly human experience to fear and resent change and to cling to grandiose visions of the past.
Aside from the plot, this film accomplishes a lot with its modest budget. While this film definitely isn't for everyone, I greatly enjoyed it, and I am excited to see Witmer's future projects.
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