MIRANDA VEIL
Directed by: Levin Garbisch
Starring: Annabel Barrett, Zach Steffey, Dean Satriano, Esmond Fountain, Irena Violette
A troubled young man called Soren is being compelled to abduct and kill women by a demonic voice in his head. So far he hasn't followed through with an actual murder just yet but he has kidnapped and tormented numerous women at the voice's behest. This time, though, its going to be different. This time, he really is going to finally kill his victim. However, the girl he abducts is Miranda Veil, and the pair are about to discover some startling truths…
Miranda Veil is an independent existential supernatural thriller which should sit well with those who enjoy films about people living on the edge of society.
We are first introduced to Soren, a potential psychopathic serial killer. He is under the thrall of a voice in his head urging him to kill. It's an incessant noise and the only way to shut it off is to do what it wants. However Soren backs down at the last minute and dumps his victim by the roadside. The voice is outraged, and Soren is forced to agree that his next abduction will end in murder.
After kidnapping Miranda, then, the scene is set and to the viewer's shock, he carries out the murder, cutting Miranda's throat and letting her bleed out. It's shocking because the film has been giving off a "final girl" vibe with Miranda and yet here she is, dead by the end of the first act!
Except…Miranda doesn't die, and her wounds miraculously heal. Soren tries again and again to kill her but she keeps getting up, unscathed. It appears that Miranda cannot die!
What follows from this is one of the most unlikely road movies ever. As she cant die, Miranda is able ot push Soren as to why he's doing what he is. It turns out that he has a very sociopathic tendencies mixed with a nihilistic outlook on life. However he has internalised these feelings forever and finally Miranda is someone for him to let it all out to. Unfortunately for those of us watching this can lead to some very shrill shouty arguments between the pair as they both struggle to articulate their feelings and emotions.
However every time the heated conversations get too shrill, a calming presence enters the narrative. Each of these characters has an animal motif (the first guy is wearing a dirty rabbit costume, the second guy carrying a stuffed fox) and the conversations are so enthralling and enigmatic. They also seem to hold clues as to what is going on with Miranda.
Miranda Veil touches on a number of good ideas and themes and deals with them well. One in particular is the fallout from her 3 day absence, which initially began with her abduction. Her friends and parents have been worried sick, and now she is back but unable to speak as to what has happened, which denies them closure to their own ordeal-by-proxy. There is an assumption for example that she's been raped and that is causing her to spin out in denial. The irony of the situation is that even though she cannot die, Miranda is drifting further and further away from her old life. The only person who could comprehend what she's going through is Soren, her would-be killer.
THE VERDICT
Miranda Veil is a delightful surprise, a film which takes conventional horror conceits and creates something quite innovative and unique. With its strange characters living on the edge of Society I was reminded of the recent Tyger Tyger, however while that film has a much better soundtrack, this film is better structured and with more likeable protagonists.