Isolation

Mad Cow, Frightened People

An Irish farmer allows a local scientist to do experiments on his cows, with horrifying results! Don't let the premise fool you, this film is anything but silly. Isolation (2006) is a serious horror film that is surprisingly good.

When I popped the DVD into the player, I was expecting a campy, fun horror movie. Boy was I ever wrong.

Set entirely on one man's farm with a small group of characters, the title of the film is quite apt. The feeling of isolation is strong throughout the film. Also, the feeling of claustrophobia is present (especially in the water scenes). A farm can be a vast, expansive place; but inside the barn and inside the small stalls, everything feels up-close-and-personal. The atmosphere and pacing reminded me of the classic lowbudget masterpiece, Halloween (1978).

There were no frills, quick editing, or CGI; just a straightforward, solid, well crafted horror film. Sometimes that's all you can ask for.

Well, there was one more thing that I would've asked for from this movie: a light moment. Isolation was so dark and serious that it became sort of a detraction. Not one smile was cracked, not one moment of joy was had. In one of my favorite horror movies, The Exorcist (1973), there was a scene with some playful banter between a detective and a priest. That scene eased some tension before building the tension up again in the next scene. It's kind of like a rollercoaster, and most good horror movies know that there has to be some lighter scenes to offput the tense and dark scenes.

Despite all of the tension and darkness, Isolation left me with a good feeling. A feeling that not every modern horror film is bottom-of-the-barrel junk.

My Rating
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