The Borderlands (2013 film)

The Borderlands
File:The Borderlands 2013 film poster.jpg Theatrical poster
Directed by	Elliot Goldner
Produced by	Jennifer Handorf Jezz Vernon
Written by	Elliot Goldner
Starring	Gordon Kennedy Robin Hill Aidan McArdle
Cinematography	Eben Bolter
Edited by	Will Gilbey Jacob Proctor Mark Towns
Production companies	Metrodome Distribution
Release dates	August 24, 2013 (2013-08-24) (FrightFest)
Running time	89 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Borderlands is a 2013 British found footage horror film and the feature film directorial debut of Elliot Goldner, who also wrote the movie's script. It had its world premiere on 24 August 2013 at the London FrightFest Film Festival and centers upon a group of Vatican investigators researching an old church rumored to be the site of a miracle.

Synopsis

Deacon (Gordon Kennedy) is a Scottish priest and paranormal investigator known for his skepticism, which has helped him debunk several claims of paranormal events. He has been hired by the Vatican to investigate a secluded church in the English countryside that is rumored to be the site of a miracle. He is joined in his investigations by technology expert Gray (Robin Hill) and fellow minister Mark Amidon (Aidan McArdle). The team initially believes that the occurrences are a hoax set up by the local priest (Luke Neal), but as more supernatural events occur they begin to have doubts. As the mystery deepens, the supernatural disturbances grow more severe, and the local priest commits suicide, Deacon brings in an elderly exorcist, Father Calvino (Patrick Godfrey) to try and end things once and for all. Calvino tells them that the local area was once used as a place of worship to an unnamed pagan deity, and the church was later built on top of the site. However, during an attempted purification of the church, the team are separated. Deacon and Gray search for Mark and Calvino within a massive labyrinth hidden beneath the church, finding evidence of child sacrifice to the pagan deity. With the passageways growing tighter and tighter, Deacon and Gray pursue the sound of their colleagues voices, until they crawl into a circular tunnel which narrows to a close further in. When they try to turn around and backtrack, they discover that the tunnel has also closed behind them. The tunnel then begins to contract organically and secrete a powerful digestive enzyme, which horribly burns the two men. As their equipment begins to fail and the lights go out, Deacon can be heard reciting the Lord's Prayer while Gray screams in pain and terror, realizing that they are literally trapped in the belly of the beast.

Cast

• Gordon Kennedy as Deacon
• Robin Hill as Gray Parker
• Aidan McArdle as Father Mark Amidon
• Sarah Annis as Mrs. Proudley
• Lee Arnold as Priest
• Drew Casson as Punched Youth
• Peter Charlton as Old Man
• Marcus Cunningham as Mr. Proudley
• Patrick Godfrey as Father Calvino
• Kevin Johnson as Jim
• Luke Neal as Father Crellick

Reception

Critical reception for The Borderlands has been predominantly positive and the film holds a rating of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews. Common elements of praise centered upon the acting and the interactions between Gordon Kennedy and Robin Hill's characters, and Radio Times commented that "It's the pair's easy-going chemistry that firmly anchors this slow-burning shocker, whose rural setting deliberately evokes The Wicker Man". Time Out London and The Hollywood Reporter both gave mixed reviews for the film, and The Hollywood Reporter wrote that it has "plenty of chilling atmosphere but lacks bite".

External links

• The Borderlands at IMDb
• The Borderlands at Rotten Tomatoes