Catch Your Breath

Directed by Matt Sears

Starring: Samson Oliver, Toby Oliver, and Renee Sears

Uploaded Dec 1, 2022

Watch our review on Catch Your Breath

Logline: A shy teenager (Andrew) is peer pressured by his older brother (Mike) into playing a game that is said to summon the ghost of the town legend, 'The Lady Beneath'.

Stills taken from Catch Your Breath Review by Paul Catalanotto

Local legends, urban legends, and scary stories told around the campfire are well-trodden ground in horror, especially in young adult fiction. Matt Sears' Catch Your Breath is exactly the kind of story you'd hear while roasting marshmallows.

At just ten minutes long, Catch Your Breath begins with two brothers sneaking into an abandoned house, armed with nothing more than a story, some matches, and a candle. Sears does an excellent job of catching us up by allowing the older brother to deliver exposition in a manner that only an older brother can.

The rules are simple: light a candle, hold your breath for one minute, wait for the Lady Beneath to appear, then blow out the candle. Let me back up to the most important part: hold your breath. For one minute.

You see, the Lady Beneath can only survive while you breathe. See what Sears did there? Clever. And it only gets better, because the Lady appears in what is perhaps one of the best sound-designed moments on the internet. If you don't think hearing someone—or something—crawl out of a bathtub can be terrifying, watch this film.

Of course, the Lady Beneath isn't benevolent. In fact, she's quite the opposite. But that's what we're here for.

As the Lady chases the younger brother, we get the moment we should have seen coming: our protagonist fails to hold his breath, allowing her to continue toward him. Visually, this may be the film's most impressive sequence. Yes, the monster design is excellent, but the way she appears suspended underwater is reminiscent of Guillermo del Toro's The Devil's Backbone. The effect is striking enough to warrant a second viewing.

Unfortunately, just as our young protagonist gets enough air in his lungs to properly hold his breath, he tumbles down the stairs and gets the wind knocked out of him. Bummer. By the end, we understand exactly why Catch Your Breath is both the title and the central mechanic of the story.

Matt Sears' Catch Your Breath is a quick, frightening tale that's beautifully shot and exceptionally well designed from a sound perspective. The young leads give convincing performances, and the monster delivers exactly what horror fans want. If you're looking for a short scare, give Catch Your Breath ten minutes of your time.

Just make sure you remember to breathe.

< PREVIOUS REVIEW | NEXT REVIEW>