Resolution (2012) Review – A Masterclass In Meta Indie Horror

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are reviewing Justin Benson’s Resolution from 2012. This movie is part of a connected universe with the movies The Endless and Synchronic. Titles we will probably get around to reviewing somewhere down the line.

Unique and quirky horror

That’s the absolute best way that I can describe Resolution. A horror movie that is unlike many others I have watched and difficult to draw comparisons to. Following the story of a man basically kidnapping his best friend to force him to withdraw from drugs. Only to find that an external force appears to be manipulating the events around them. Resolution is a mix of tension, suspense, and a fair bit of subtle comedy.

Resolution is a difficult movie to talk about while avoiding spoilers. The best way I can describe it is as two friends finding themselves while being characters in a story that someone else is telling. The movie represents their journey to discovering that they are part of this story. With this in mind, it’s probably no surprise to hear that Resolution is rather meta and self-aware. It doesn’t offer the viewer a tremendous amount of exposition and isn’t overly keen on guiding the viewer through the events that are taking place.

“Resolution is a mix of tension, suspense, and a fair bit of subtle comedy. The movie represents a journey to discovering that these characters are part of a story someone else is telling.”

There are multiple layers and Benson wants you to discover them for yourself. He doesn’t have much interest in directly showing them to you. Naturally this may lead to frustration on some viewer’s parts but the journey is well worth sticking with as it remains legitimately interesting and captivating throughout. The drip feeding of new story elements playing out alongside the interpersonal drama between the two friends is entirely engaging. 

Rather daring

It’s hard not to mention just how many risks Resolution takes. At times it would be easy to perceive the movie as laughing at its audience. It goes out of its way to expose horror tropes and almost makes a mockery of them. All while taking the very notion of story telling itself and turning it on its head. We, as viewers, are used to seeing a story play out with a cast of characters who are simply there to play a part. Resolution pokes fun at that but in the best way possible.

The characters are there to discover the story and do whatever they can to avoid allowing it to be written for them. All while never realising that they have no real say in the matter. At the same time, the movie makes us question the stories we write in life ourselves through our own experiences.

“Resolution goes out of its way to expose horror tropes and almost makes a mockery of them. All while taking the very notion of storytelling itself and turning it on its head.”

It also highlights the many ways in which they are changed by the people around us. All while asking us whether we are actually able to change our own story’s ending or has it already been written? Resolution works on many levels. Particularly in the way it brings the viewer into the experience.

Extremely self-aware

As mentioned above, Resolution is entirely self-aware and it’s this self-awareness that allows it to break so many horror rules. The truth is, however, some people are simply not going to like this. Some people will be left feeling very unsatisfied. Particularly at the ending which is, ultimately, entirely conclusive but also somewhat open-ended.

Again, Resolution takes a number of risks and some viewers simply won’t appreciate the results. That’s completely understandable, though. This is a movie designed for a certain audience. Pushing aside many of these more divisive elements, Resolution is a captivating story of two friends finding themselves, learning more about each other, and coming face to face with personal demons.

It’s a very satisfying tale of self-discovery and human drama. Despite featuring a presentation of horror that won’t be for everyone, it is extremely easy to relate to and enjoy. These characters are flawed but likable. They will make you laugh and you will likely enjoy the dialogue between them and the conversations that they have.

The characters here feel real, not simply horror movie clichés, which makes the manipulation of their world all the more effective and believable. It also helps that Resolution manages to be legitimately tense in parts. The final 15 minutes or so really up the adrenaline and act as a fantastic pay off for the incredibly slow build-up. There are moments there where you feel legitimately nervous for our protagonists and, honestly, quite unsettled. It’s in these moments that you realise that Resolution genuinely is a horror movie and that is what it was always meant to be. 

Fantastic acting and direction

The majority of the movie focuses on extended moments of dialogue between the two main characters. With this in mind, it is very important that actors Peter Cilella and Vinny Curran are up to the task. It’s obvious that Cilella and Curran were given ample time to develop some serious chemistry. With the relationship between the two feeling completely genuine. Curran’s rants are quite comical and he manages to bring a realism to the character that makes him easy to sympathise with. All in all, it’s a great job.

“It is very important that Peter Cilella and Vinny Curran are up to the task. They have serious chemistry, with the relationship between the two feeling completely genuine.”

Director Justin Benson has been around the horror game for a little while now. Having started his career off acting in, producing and directing horror movies and shorts. In fact, he has had a hand in more than a few of the movies we have covered on this site. One of which being the very enjoyable After Midnight. He does a great job here teaming up with Aaron Moorhead.

Resolution never feels as low budget as it probably is and most of the shots are very well done. Moorhead’s cinematography is of particular note. Many of the shots are handheld and place the viewer in the cabin with the friends as almost a participant of the events taking place. This is, obviously, very deliberate given the themes of the movie. There are no major technical issues and the pacing is perfect given the slow horror style. Benson and Moorhead would follow Resolution up with The Endless which is equally as well regarded.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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