Contrary to what most people might think, John Fallon’s The Shelter is not a horror film or the typical story about a haunted house. In my opinion, this movie has a powerful message about redemption and what true love should be about from beginning to end.
Thomas (Michael Paré) is a homeless man who has turned to alcohol to face his demons and hide the pain that he feels every time he remembers a secret about his past. Perhaps he thinks he can leave it all behind, but sometimes, bad actions haunt human beings’ minds forever. From the very first moment Thomas walks into this isolated but apparently comfortable house, the worst nightmare starts appearing before his eyes: all what happened and what could have happened if he had done things in a different way.
Religious iconography is brilliantly portrayed throughout the film to show spectators the real torture Thomas is going through. Actually, when a man cannot find any peace, there’s a very thin line between fiction and reality, so the storyline shows how ephemeral life might be when somebody has made such a fatal mistake.
With stunning special effects and a great soundtrack – I especially like the song Howling at the Moon by Oh! Kelly – The Shelter brings to the fore the dilemma between what is right and what is wrong. I cannot think of a better actor than the very talented Michael Paré to show spectators Thomas’s psyche and how bad deeds could make us live our earthly life in hell.
Trailer:
Sadie Duarte Official 