Low-budget filmmaker Graham Hughes follows up his 2019 movie ‘Death of a Vlogger’ with ‘Hostile Dimensions’, another found-footage horror involving the same cast and crew. Featuring some fun and clever ideas, it certainly gets off to a promising start. But sadly, the script and the acting eventually let it down, especially when the final act lands.
The setup kicks things off nicely with some found footage that shows graffiti artist Emily (Josie Rogers) coming across a freestanding door in an abandoned and derelict building that she has chosen to receive her next piece of art. While the cameraman is distracted, Emily vanishes, and when the camera returns to the door, it is now open. The door appears to lead to somewhere dark and mysterious, with a scary red-eyed creature peering out. The camera cuts out and we learn that Emily is now classed as a missing person.
The footage is seen by documentary filmmakers Sam (Annabel Logan) and Ash (Joma West), who are looking for a story that will hopefully give them their big break, after their last film, Bear Market, a documentary about the stuffed animal business, flopped. After initially suspecting the footage to be some kind of prank, they make contact with the cameraman, then acquire the door in question so that they can set it up in Ash’s flat for further investigation and to document their findings. Great idea…
Attempts at opening the door yield strange, or just downright weird, results for Sam and Ash, certainly not the dark and terrifying dimension that Emily found herself entering, and they soon discover that what’s behind the door can be influenced by whatever you’re thinking about before opening it. After attaching a camera to a remote-controlled car, they open up the door again and send it inside to roam around and make sure it’s safe. This time the door has opened on a panda-themed indoor play area for kids, but with nobody there. After deciding it’s all clear, they venture inside only to discover a large cuddly panda and probably the most effective scare of the entire movie.
Safely back in the flat, and with the door now firmly closed, Sam and Ash decide to get some help in the form of local lecturer Innis (Paddy Kondracki), who provides a lot of scientific theory, then joins them to help with the investigation and to help man the cameras. We’re then treated to a whirlwind tour of a wide variety of different dimensions in the hunt for Emily and some answers regarding the origins of the doors. Many are creepy, even if we have no idea what’s going on within them, while others, such as one where whales fly through the sky, are beautiful and intriguing. At times though, the low-budget definitely shows in terms of both the acting and the effects, and the script struggles to explain the initially interesting ideas and bring everything to a satisfying conclusion.
Overall though, Hostile Dimensions is a thought-provoking movie and a resourceful effort from a low-budget filmmaker. Despite the disappointing final act, I still found it an enjoyable watch.
Hostile Dimensions will be available on digital platforms from 26th August 2024
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Web developer by day, with a movie and TV watchlist that continues to grow as much as my spare time reduces! My favourite movie is Inception and, despite what everyone says, I do not have a man-crush on Tom Cruise.
