Summer of 84 (2018)

Directors: François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell

Starring: Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Caleb Emery, Rich Sommer

After suspecting that their police officer neighbor is a serial killer, a group of teenage friends spend their summer spying on him and gathering evidence, but as they get closer to discovering the truth, things get dangerous.

‘Summer of 84’ is set in 1984. There are no mobile phones. No Internet. And kids used to hang out together.

Four young friends, Davey, Tommy, Dale and Curtis hang out together. They joke about women and sex, and Davey secretly has his eyes on his long-time friend and neighbour, Nikki.

The story of a serial killer responsible for the abduction and deaths of several young boys between the ages 12 to 16 comes closer to home when a young boy disappears in their town. Increasingly becoming suspicious of his neighbour, Wayne Mackey (Rich Sommer) Davey and his friends decide to stalk Wayne. They document his daily routine, but Davey is concerned Wayne might be able to wipe his traces clean, being a policeman.

This is an interesting mystery thriller that keeps the audience guessing. The set-up felt like ‘Fright Night’ (the original), and the subsequent unravelling of the mystery reminded me of ‘Stand by Me’. The performances – especially from the young cast – are top notch. The story is believable and kept me engaged from beginning to end.

‘Summer of 84’ is a horror film that doesn’t rely on guts and gore. The horror is mostly psychological and gets under your skin at times. The climax caught me by surprise and the film ends on a haunting note. This is an above average horror thriller. I’m just wondering whether repeat viewings will have the same impact with the mystery element gone? ‘Summer of 84’ is a well made film worth checking out!

‘Summer of 84’ won the Cinepocalypse award for Best Screenplay. It was also nominated for Best Film, and Best Director.

Would I watch it again? Probably, yes, after a while.