Mia (Harlee Lowder) and Joseph (Kenon Walker) are a couple looking for a new home. They’re desperate to move out of their neighbourhood but are turned down for a loan which leaves them having to stay where they are. Then one night, a gang breaks in and armed men kill Joseph, leaving Mia a widow.
Grieving for her husband, Mia is consumed with emotion and in the name of finding peace and revenge on Joseph’s killers, she contacts a Voodoo expert to help. Feeling like she may have managed some spiritual closure, Mia goes back to her life. However, what she’s not expecting is that The Reaper Man has resurrected Joseph and uses his body to wreak violent revenge on their home invaders.
The Reaper Man is a horror written and directed by Jaron Lockridge, created after he noticed how little influence African Americans had in genre horror.
The obvious comparison would be to Candyman in that respect; however, Lockridge has created an original horror villain which stands out on his own. Although, The Reaper Man’s artificially lowered voice could never beat the dulcet tones of Tony Todd.
Some may say that The Reaper Man is a slow burn horror, and at barely under ninety minutes it may certainly feel longer. However, this seems to be more down to pacing and whereas the draw may be The Reaper Man’s acts of vengeance, it feels more strung out than it should be.
Saying that though, The Reaper Man’s script elevates it beyond just a lazy slasher movie drenched in fake blood. It has a conscience at its heart which is effectively reflected in Mia’s actions upon realising what she’s done and in the victims of The Reaper Man as they beg for their lives. Something notable which makes it stand out from the usual crowd-pleasing horror.
The Reaper Man may not be for everybody, it clearly wants to be a genre horror movie, but it’s also one that attempts to make the audience think. The fresh perspective shows that the inclusion of African American filmmakers is worth exploring, but those looking for more blood than brains may be turned away.
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