Jackals Film Review. Tommy Alastra Productions, A Tap Inc production. A film by Kevin Greutert. Distribution 101 film UK, certificate 15. Running time 85 minutes.

I saw this trailer last year and thought "oh yeah another home invasion movie" in a way it is, but something about this movie I liked.
The story of a family kidnapping their youngest son back from some Satanic cult in the mid eighties. Hooking up at a family retreat in the middle of nowhere. With a trained marine, who is trained in anti brainwashing, to return the son to his mum, dad, brother and girlfriend. Unfortunately the cult members want their family member back too, so begins a stand off at this family reatreat for this rescued cult member.

What we have though is a film the critics hated, with the negatively that it was so like other great horror films. Yes I agree it has elements that are like The Strangers, You're Next, Straw Dogs, yet this move is a great companion piece.

It has great menace, some whince moments that shocked me, some great gore and violence and a WTF ending to finish it off. Plus the acting for a horror movie was absolutely top notch.

To have a bad guy you never see, that never utters a single word or a piece of dialogue, yet have so much presence on-screen is a credit to the director, with the stand off scenes being intense, at times unwatchable, without using a single jump scare is an amazing feat.

This is the movie Strangers Prey At Night should've been, instead of the whimp it turned out to be. Jackals had teeth, and balls and wasn't afraid to get them out to completely offend and shock the audience.

4/5****