The Interior (2015) Review – A Divisive Genre-Bender with a Heart-Stopping Scare
The Interior: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: A masterfully strange and tonally daring exercise in slow-burn suspense that successfully transforms from an awkward office comedy into a terrifying study of environmental isolation. The Interior (2015) succeeds by weaponising its own glacial pace, forcing the viewer into a state of hypnotic boredom before unleashing a series of heart-stopping scares. Patrick McFadden delivers a committed performance, perfectly capturing the arrogance and eventual vulnerability of a man totally out of his depth. While the film’s first act may alienate those seeking traditional genre thrills, the payoff in the woods is arguably one of the most effective “pure horror” sequences in contemporary indie cinema. This 3.2 star effort is a technical curiosity that rewards patience with genuine dread.
Details: Director: Trevor Juras | Cast: Patrick McFadden, Jake Bone, Shanda Bezic | Runtime: 1h 20m | Release Date: 2015
Best for: Fans of slow-burn psychological thrillers, those who enjoy “wilderness survival” horror, and viewers who appreciate a unique, tonally shifting narrative.
Worth noting: The film’s transition from the city to the forest is marked by a significant shift in cinematography, moving from static, clinical shots to more immersive, handheld work.
Where to Watch: VOD, Amazon🛒
Rating: 3.2/5 Stars
(A masterfully directed and tonally unique indie horror that successfully bridges the gap between deadpan comedy and visceral terror, despite a divisive and glacially paced first act.)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are checking out 2015’s The Interior.
Table of Contents
An isolation horror with a psychological aspect
The Interior follows the day to day life of James. James is a pretty run of the mill kind of guy. Seemingly a hero in his own mind; James tires of his mundane office job and regards the majority of people around him with some degree of contempt. Within the first ten minutes of the movie, James is visualising shedding the shackles of his job and escaping the hustle and bustle. It soon becomes apparent that James is suffering from some sort of illness. Finally taking the plunge, he leaves his life and girlfriend behind and heads out into the wilds of British Columbia but what exactly is waiting for him there?
“The Interior is a very slow burning movie. Once the horror and suspense element takes over, however, the movie picks up a lot. It’s quiet, deliberate, and rather unsettling.”
It can be hard to class The Interior and it certainly can’t be pigeonholed into one genre. This task becomes even more impossible as the movie goes on. The first 25 minutes of The Interior are pretty make or break, to be honest. I imagine the majority of people are most likely to turn off a movie within the first half an hour or so. They serve as a highly stylised introduction to the main character and are somewhat self-serving. As a portfolio, as a demonstration of vision and ideas, it is great; as the opening of a movie, not so much.
The horror element really doesn’t kick in until the second half; the first half is almost a comedy drama. The comedy is very hit or miss and James comes across as the type of guy you would go out of your way to avoid. If you don’t chuckle at the Marmite humour and are not particularly taken by the almost vaudeville-esque presentation you may wonder why you haven’t hit the stop button.
The comedy misses but the horror definitely hits
Indeed, the thought of spending another 55 minutes alone in the woods with James might be enough to put you off entirely. This would be a disservice to the film, however, and I would recommend you at least keep viewing. We are about to get deep into the woods and it’s going to get really freaky.
The Interior is a very slow burning movie. Nothing happens quickly and if you are looking for instant gratification, you may want to skip this completely. Once the horror and suspense element takes over, however, the movie picks up a lot. When we finally get into the woods we spend another 25 minutes or so learning that James is equally as incapable of coping in the wild as he was in everyday life.
“Nothing happens quickly and if you are looking for instant gratification, you may want to skip this completely. Once the horror and suspense element takes over, however, the movie picks up a lot.”
This will soon be compounded by the fact that James is, apparently, not alone. After experiencing odd events over the course of a few nights, he is beginning to feel uneasy. Naturally, if you have stuck with the film so far, you are probably feeling pretty uneasy as well. Finally, The Interior is starting to look like a horror movie. He is haunted at nights and sees things out of the corner of his eyes in the day. The film is quiet, deliberate, and rather unsettling. It’s preparing for one of the best scares in indie-horror history.
A stand out scare
Deep into the second half, in the middle of the woods, all of a sudden, it happens. I won’t say what, but it is one of the most effective horror moments I have encountered in a long time. True, spine-tingling horror that makes you feel genuinely uncomfortable. As I have said, The Interior is a slow moving film so it is fairly understandable that my fiancée was drifting off besides me when she was woken by said horror moment. She didn’t fall asleep again for the rest of the movie.
Her reaction said it all and contained a lot of expletives. It is the type of scare that makes you wonder why you don’t see it more often. It’s fiendishly simple, almost cheap in a way; but it works so damn well.
“Deep into the second half, in the middle of the woods, all of a sudden, it happens. It is one of the most effective horror moments I have encountered in a long time. True, spine-tingling horror.”
It’s fantastic and worth the price of admission alone. The movie doesn’t relent from that point on and it’s a pretty intense march to the conclusion. Is it a satisfying conclusion? Well, it’s a conclusion. Just know that to get there you are going to be spending the rest of the movie tensed up in horror. The Interior takes a long time to earn its keep but it is worth the wait.
But is it a one trick pony?
This is what makes The Interior difficult to review. When The Interior is a horror movie it is fantastic. On the other hand, when The Interior is a comedy based character study of a guy that isn’t remotely likable, or even interesting, it falls pretty flat. The time we spend with James where little is happening is, frankly, quite dull. It actually reminds me a little of Napoleon Dynamite with its kooky sense of humour and propensity towards awkward character interactions.
When The Interior is an obvious horror movie, it really does shine but it, perhaps, doesn’t do this enough. Sure, some people may not enjoy the slow pace and the minimal narrative but the scares are extremely well placed and they stay with you.
There is enough narrative to drive along the plot. There are plenty of questions left that are sure to please those of us who enjoy chatting about an ending or character motives. Everything makes some degree of sense and James has a somewhat understandable reason for being in the woods.
“When The Interior is an obvious horror movie, it really does shine. The wilds of British Columbia are the real star of the show here, and they steal plenty of scenes.”
As for other elements of the film, everything is pretty decent. Acting is fine. James is ably played by Patrick McFadden who captures the somewhat unlikable nature of the lead character. Obviously he has a lot to do in what is essentially a one man show and he does it well. Cinematography is good. There are some excellent location shots. The verticality of the trees is capture beautifully. The music, though likely to divide opinion at time, is generally well placed and fitting. The wilds of British Columbia are the real star of the show here, however, and they steal plenty of scenes.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good
- Standout Scares: Features one of the most effective and spine-tingling horror moments in recent memory, utilising brilliant simplicity to achieve maximum terror.
- Atmospheric Cinematography: The film captures the raw beauty and oppressive isolation of British Columbia with technical finesse and sharp framing.
- Bold Tone: The daring shift from “Napoleon Dynamite” style humour to visceral psychological horror is a unique and memorable creative choice.
The Bad
- Glacial Pacing: The first half-hour is incredibly slow and highly stylised, which may cause many viewers to check out before the horror truly begins.
- Unlikable Lead: The character of James is written to be a contemptuous and dull individual, making it difficult for the audience to invest in his survival.
- Marmite Humour: The early comedy elements are very specific and hit-or-miss, potentially grating on viewers who aren’t fans of deadpan, awkward interactions.
The Ugly: The “Red” Jacket. A simple visual element that becomes a symbol of unrelenting, inescapable dread in the film’s most terrifying sequence.
Should You Watch The Interior?
Yes, especially if you have the patience for slow-burn indie cinema. It is a 3.2 star film that functions as a fascinating, tonally bizarre journey. If you value atmosphere and genuine, expertly-timed scares over fast-paced action, The Interior is a hidden gem. However, if you are looking for a straightforward slasher or a movie with a traditionally heroic lead, you will likely find the first act frustrating. It is an intelligent, technical success that proves sometimes the simplest ideas are the most terrifying. Stick with it for the scare alone.
You might also like:
- Squad Goals – 10 Of The Best Horror Movie Friendships
- Terrified (2017) review: The scariest movie you’ll ever see (maybe)
- Deadly Midwife (2023) Ending Explained – What Was The Plan?
- Strange Darling (2023) Review – A Hackneyed Gimmick Hiding A Problematic Script
- Carrie (1976) Review – A Timeless Masterpiece Of Supernatural Revenge
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.
Support the Site Knockout Horror is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Basically, if you click a link to rent or buy a movie, we may earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep the lights on and the nightmares coming. Don't worry, we will never recommend a movie purely to generate clicks. If it's bad, we will tell you.
Disclaimer: Images, posters, and video stills used in this review are the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included here for the purposes of commentary, criticism, and review under fair use. Knockout Horror makes no claim of ownership and encourages readers to support the official release of all films discussed.
