In a world that seems to be inching closer and closer to the brink of climate catastrophe every day, the idea of “things could always get worse” isn’t exactly a welcome one. But…it is an intriguing idea for a horror film, and with their neo-folk horror film Falling Stars, Gabriel Bienczycki and Richard Karpala create a world in which such a concept is gorgeously brought to life.
In the world of Falling Stars, witches are real. Not a cutesy folksy Hocus Pocus-y kind of way, but more so in a ‘oh fuck we forgot to stock up on the items to create a ring of protection against the ravenous night’ kind of way. Traditionally, on the first night of the full moon in October, witches would descend like falling stars to prey upon those caught outside and unaware, whisking them away in the blink of an eye. The problem by the time Falling Stars opens is that they’ve started coming earlier and earlier every year, taking more and more people. It is against this strange backdrop that three brothers set out initially to stock up on an ingredient for an outdoor protection circle (Supernatural fans: think of Enochian runes) and end up in a race against time and witches!
This is admittedly a silly premise. But Bienczycki and Karpala work wonders with it. They successfully create a world within this film that is simultaneously recognizable as our own in every way but has also adapted to the existence of an annual plague of witches. For as out there a premise that they present, this film comes off incredibly grounded and believable. The snippets of newscasts and talk radio feel like they’re exactly what would exist if this scenario were real, and the earnestness of the actors create a blend of the mundane and the fantastic that hits a weird place emotionally. These little touches go far but not too far in weaving a history of this world, providing just enough exposition to put us where we need to be as the audience to immerse ourselves in it.
Shaun Duke and Rene Leech as brothers Mike and Adam are the heart of this film, the emotional core that the audience is invited to invest themselves in. Duke’s Mike is world weary, seemingly resigned to an unexciting existence in the world the film crafts. He is distant but somehow also affectionate towards his younger brothers, with a toughness born of love and concern for their well-being. Rene Leech is…perfect as the youngest brother Adam. The epitome of ‘little bro’, Leech gives us a performance of someone who worships the ground their older brother walks on, looking up to them in every possible way. Their increasingly panicked mood as the film quietly unravels does much to heighten the tension and keep the viewer engaged, as it is impossible not to root for them and worry about their safety as everything goes to hell. The two of them combined are the archetype of someone struggling to get their younger brother through hell safely, a classic sidekick scenario that works on every level.
This film is gorgeous to look at. Wide shots of the southern California desert, complete with spiky Joshua trees, create a sense of isolation and desolation, driving home just how on their own our characters are. Shots from above as they’re driving or walking give us the eerie feeling of voyeurism, putting us in the place of the titular ‘falling stars’ as they prey upon people in the desert. The filmmakers do much with a limited budget in this sense, never really giving us a glimpse of the witches but relying more on character reaction to drive home the horror of such a scenario.
Falling Stars is a genuinely haunting film that does a lot with a little. Sure, the concept sounds ridiculous, and if you’re expecting a full-blown monster movie, you’ll be disappointed. But ultimately, it’s a deeply moving story about people trying to survive in a world gone calmly but completely wrong, anchored by poignant performances amidst the surreal and subtle nightmarescape of the nighttime desert.
