The inclusion of Cole’s wife, Linda Parsons (Natalie Brown), and the subplot of Cole’s vanished daughter unlock hidden texts within “The Breach,” morphing from a spooky float down the Porcupine River to something out of this world. Patience through John and Jacob’s chest-beating or John and Meg’s romantic-ish banter is rewarded once Gudiño’s monsters emerge, crawling and snarling forward as these nightmares of inside-out flesh and desecrated human remains. Daniel Baker’s prosthetics and creature effects shine on a budget despite little relief in the daylight, as mutations and sloppy-slick, grotesque figures bring the hardcore muck (read: bloody, scummy, vile). “The Breach” nails its varied FX when called upon — digital effects even hold their own — and should appease the creature freakazoids out there as long as they can withstand the more procedural beginnings.
Without the film’s onslaught of effects during finale attacks, “The Breach” would be lost to its rigid character types and indie restrictions. It’s unchallenging outside of Rush’s guitarist Alex Lifeson cameoing as crackpot information revealer Alex, who stokes dialogue about particle colliders and scientists playing God with molecular manipulation. The harder sci-fi elements of “The Breach” are always better served in their gnarly horror presentations, which reinvigorate excitement. Performances all cleanly and efficiently deliver what’s called upon, even when characters act like countless indie horror protagonists who are only there to push a plot forward — never engaging on levels of genuine curiosity with their surroundings. Storytelling feels like wheels in motion using the same “Horror 101” assembly line, until extra fingers appear on hands or shambling goopy threats descend upon Cole’s rundown hideout.
“The Breach” earns lasting appreciation at its most pivotal moments, which is why it gets an enthusiastic-enough recommendation. Rodrigo Gudiño is now two-for-two in my stat sheet, shifting from ghostly fearfulness hinged on grief in “The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh” to an all-out monsterpalooza. Midnighter audiences might not be thrilled about the pacing, but those creature designs and back-half gore beats should amass proper atonement. On an indie budget, with do-it-yourself gumption, “The Breach” separates itself from the undead pack through sheer SFX willpower — it’s a messy affair, but usually in the right ways.
/Film Rating: 7 out of 10
