THE SECRET OF SINCHANEE (Film Review)

 

                           Starring: Laila Lockhart Kraner, Steven Grayhm, Rudy Reyes

                                                 Directed by: Steven Grayhm

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             I think we can all agree to an extent that even in the world of horror, it's not always about the blood & guts parameter being smashed, but the effective storytelling and pacing of a slow-burning chiller to give an audience the creeps. However, when one particular presentation opts to take TOO LONG in its creation & delivery, it can be detrimental to the overall product - so, without any further ado, I give you all The Secret Of Sinchanee. 

          Pulling double-duty (director/actor) for this one is Steven Grayhm, who plays the role of Will Stark, a tow-truck driver who at a young age suffered incomprehensible trauma as a child years ago, and sadness has come full-circle in present time with the recent passing of his father. This event brings Will back to his childhood home to close affairs, but the "otherworldly" aspect of the childhood tragedy seems to want to pry back into the mix, and couple that with a murder investigation of a mother/daughter duo, Will's certainly going to have a full dance card when it comes to trouble in his hometown. With a strong backstory involving Native Americans and the horrific treatment against them over the course of history, Grayhm lays out the best table-setting and decorates the surrounding area with delicate details - combined with some beautiful camera work and sullen atmosphere, the initial thought on this one was that I was in for something extraordinary.

         With also having written the film itself, Grayhm crafts what definitely should have come off as a timed-out spookfest with multiple angles of dread and uneasiness, and that would have fit nicely inside a tidy 90-minute presentation...but...At damn near two hours the movie drags along relentlessly and honestly wastes multitudes of time stretching too many focal points of psyche-damaging ordeals, paranormal incidents, criminal investigations, and the commentary of atrocities committed against Native Americans - not unforgivable by any means, but it honestly made this "secret" worth keeping locked up. Performances around in the film were adequate and moderately effective in the conveyance of the story, but at times some of the talents appeared to be lost in their labors - were they put off by the pacing as well? Overall, The Secret Of Sinchanee is one of those films with an important story to tell...I'm just not sure that this framework was the right composition to do so - possibly a one-time-watch if you love SERIOUSLY slow-burners.

FILM RATING: 2 out of 5