Movie Review: FROM (Navigating The Horrors of A Nightmarish Town)

Movie Review: FROM - Navigating The Horrors of A Nightmarish Town (Without Losing Sanity Of Course)

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INTRODUCTION
I got on holidays a week ago. And I thought that I should spend a good part of it watching movies. Months back, I decided to get some movie recommendations from a friend who is a movie freak and he recommended FROM to me. He specifically said, "I want you to watch this. You should watch it. It's quite good." I asked him what the genre of the series was and he said it was horror and mystery and thriller all in one. I'm not an avid fan of horror movies because I believe there's no plot or storyline except to scare the viewers and play on their subconscious. Most times, there's hardly any tangible ending. Curious people die. The evil in the movie comes back into existence and it's a loop all over again. So, I was quite skeptical about it and I brushed it aside.

Four days back though, I was quite bored and while scrolling through my laptop for a new movie to watch, FROM popped up. I remembered my friend's recommendation. So, I decided to give it a try and it was worth the gamble.

I have been taxing my brain on how best to start writing a review on FROM, so here goes;

SUMMARY:
A family of four are driving through a secluded wooded road when they meet a huge tree barricading their road. The tree can't be moved or chopped through, and a scare of crows erupt into the sky. They decide to take a detour. This takes them into a small town that has a lot of strange attributes. Firstly, no one who arrives in the town can ever leave. All roads loop back into town. Also, the family was warned by the strange residents of the town not to spend the night outside as the night had horrors in stock. Lastly, indoors, a strange talisman has to be hung above every door. It is the only safe way to live. The more the characters try to find answers, the angrier the town becomes and the more the emergence of horrors.

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This TV series follows a diverse ensemble cast as they navigate a nightmarish town in Middle America, summarily a dystopian world. It exploits moral ambiguity, where survival often furthers compromise and characters are forced to make difficult decisions that blurs the lines of right and wrong, black and white. It excels in accomplishing the task of creating suspense and tension and uses cliffhangers at the end of each episode that keeps you thirsting for more.

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MY THOUGHTS:
This series was quite interesting and captivating. Imagine being in a town where you can't move about after dark. Where you have to lock the doors and board every windows to avoid people from opening it. Imagine drinking alcohol made from potatoes, or having electricity but not knowing the source of it. Imagine having no internet, no network, no source of communication. It's almost like being in the good olden days where physical communication was essential.
I found myself binge watching it but bro, it was very frustrating. The suspense, the tension, the questions were just too much. I remember mentally screaming at my laptop screen for answers from the series. I was begging for a hint to know what was at play. A hint as to who was behind the horrors and the town, the looping back of roads and so on. I had questions like, who created the town? What attracts people into the town? What characteristic do the people of the town commonly share?
I kept analyzing all the characters and trying to pinpoint if it was a common trait they all shared that brought them into town, but I couldn't find any.

The aggravating thing about this movie was that soon as you think the characters are close to the answers that could get them out of that town, the answers are snatched back. The answers aren't clearly the answers. Tricky right? The movie knew how to expand its mystery and keep me hooked in both seasons. And this questions are still begging answers which is why I eagerly await Season 3.

ACCOLADES
I particularly want to applaud Harold Perrineau who played the role of Boyd Stevens. He acted as the sheriff of the town and is one of the show's main characters. His role was tasked with keeping the people of the town safe and sane. He wielded his authority and control with impressive skill, which helped to hamper chaos and anarchy. Chaos that would have spread among the people living in such a scary town. Harold Perrineau really nailed his role. I also applaud the other characters too like Elizabeth Saunders who played the role of Donna. I applaud her for her unwavering courage and her carrying the responsibility of breaking the bad news to new entrants in town. I will always remember her through this phrase, “I think you might need a drink for this.” I want to give accolades to David Alpay (role of Jade) for bringing comedic relief that was long overdue and his inquisitive mind that most times always brought the characters and audiences close to answers. He made me cackle and laugh through the horrors. Also, I wouldn't forget Simon Webster (role of Ethan Matthews). It must have been wearying and lonely being the only kid in a town full of adults, a nightmarish town at that. His role was quite courageous and brought out softer sides from characters such as Donna. Appreciation to all the characters who managed to love through every terror and storm.

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My one fear is that after all this tension and mystery, FROM fails to satiate it's viewers with satisfying answers to the questions. My fear is that the end might not gratify we, the viewers.

CONCLUSION:
I rate this movie 8/10 or 4 out of 5 stars because it hasn't disappointed me like most horror movies. I recommend anyone new to FROM to give it a shot. It's worth it.

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THANKS FOR READING MY REVIEW!🤍✨
~terjix