Like “The Void,” “Banshee Chapter” is Lovecraftian horror in its purest form. While mainstream audiences have been given bits and nibbles of cosmic horror (Alex Garland’s “Annihilation” was released theatrically, after all), the subgenre is most often relegated to the indie video-on-demand sphere. In recent years, we’ve seen “Color Out of Space,” “Mandy” (both Nicolas Cage vehicles), and “Glorious.” All were festival hits that later arrived on streaming. Cosmic horror relishes in the unknown, but sometimes, a little more budget (perhaps something akin to Guillermo del Toro’s canceled “At the Mountains of Madness”) would be nice.
Blair Erickson’s “Banshee Chapter” is the perfect low-budget shocker to remake. Loosely inspired by Lovecraft’s “From Beyond,” the film follows journalist Anne (Katia Winter) as she endeavors to track down her missing friend. There are government conspiracies, unusual drugs, and entities from another dimension. “Banshee Chapter” manages a lot with a little, though there’s no denying its best ideas are unfortunately relegated to off-screen moments. There isn’t enough money to dive that deep into the cosmos. Nevertheless, “Banshee Chapter” is one of the best indie horror releases of this century, and if any film deserves a comeback, it’s this one.