A British horror film set in the Victorian era? With something nasty haunting a prison? Let's take a look, then, as Stephen Hall's THE GATES gets a digital release from 101 Films.
It's 1892 and notorious serial killer (at least 28 victims) William Colcott (Richard Brake, turning in a decent bit of villainy as usual) is interrupted during the latest of his attempts to bring his dead wife back to life, arrested, banged up in Bishopsgate Prison and sentenced to death in the electric chair, a device 'on trial' from America prior to its 'permanent use in Pentonville prison.'
Well if you say so.
Meanwhile Fredrick Ladbroke (John Rhys-Davies) and his niece Emma (Elena Delia) make a living from photographing the dead. They've also invented a machine they claim can summon spirits from the afterlife. When they are summoned to take Colcott's death image they become embroiled in supernatural goings on and end up working with spiritualist Lucian Abberton (Michael Yare) to take on the horror that is permeating the prison.
Doesn't that all sound great? So it's a shame to report that, the two lead performances aside, THE GATES is a solemnly dull affair with stilted direction and stagey acting. Rhys-Davies and Delia are excellent, have splendid chemistry, and I would pay to see these same characters in a different film having a different adventure made by different people. The film never works up any suspense, is far too long at nearly two hours, and is in desperate need of something like a good music score to push things along. It doesn't have one of course. Instead it's one of those dull, grating soundscape things that some people seem to think can pass as an excuse for movie music these days.
Having put my stick away I'll add that the locations are excellent and the opening fifteen or so minutes are reasonably executed, promising far better than what actually transpires. With its setting, story and great lead characters I really wanted to like this one. Instead I had trouble staying awake.
THE GATES is out on digital from 101 Films on Monday 3rd July 2023
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