By Keri O’Shea
Sara Paxton. Now, where the hell do I know that name? Sara Paxton, Sara Paxton, Sar…
Oh wait. Oh, BOLLOCKS.
When I realised that the actress from The Innkeepers was also in Static, and that the press release describes her role in Static as that of ‘a hysterical young woman’, I wasn’t exactly filled with joy. Y’see, being a contrary old cuss, I did not enjoy The Innkeepers one bit, and sad to say but Paxton’s nervy, quirky, high-pitched performance was a large factor in that. Frankly, I wanted to push her face in, and she was never described as ‘hysterical’ there. What were we going to get this time, I wondered? Still, I am very glad I gave Static a whirl, because all in all this is an ambitious, well-told story which proves itself capable of a few surprises. Not least of which is an understated performance by Ms. Paxton…
The opening scenes of Static set the scene for what is to follow in terms of tone: this is for the most part a low-key, morose movie, as we’re introduced to a grieving husband and wife, writer Jonathan (Milo Ventimiglia) and Addie (Sarah Shahi). Having lost their beloved son at three years old, they are slowly getting their lives together, but their feelings still all too readily spill over into anger and frustration at one another. However, now that Jonathan’s long-awaited book is complete, Addie looks forward to leaving their country house with all its dismal memories, making a fresh start back in the city.
This is the movies, though. No sooner have they talked about moving on, but in the middle of the following night, a young woman claiming to be a neighbour (Paxton) arrives at their door claiming that there is ‘somebody out there’; a group of men wearing gas-masks, no less. Thinking she must have been spooked by some local kids, Jonathan goes outside to take a look – but, when he sees her car is indeed outside with the tyres deliberately slashed, it seems like she may have been spooked by something a bit more menacing than pranksters. Who has she brought into their lives?
All of that sounds like your common-or-garden home invasion movie, and yeah, there are a lot of common elements, but the chief strength of Static is that it keeps you engaged by turning out to be something quite other than I, at least, expected. For one thing, forget optimism; Static begins with its ending, not dissimilar to 2010’s In Their Sleep (and Static resembles the earlier film aesthetically in several ways, too). You know from the earliest frames that you’ll be journeying towards this point, so all that remains is to watch this play out, knowing all the time that the conclusion exists. Another thing which builds upon this feeling is the point of view afforded to the audience. As we see Paxton’s character Rachel talking individually to Addie and then to Jonathan, we wind up knowing more than each of them, and that is that – all’s not quite right with this young woman. Why are these men after her? Does she know more than she’s saying? Is she even some kind of rabid fan? Unease comes on gradually here, but it sticks.
Static understands that in order for all of this tension to matter, you have to be able to engage with the people under siege, and also that it’s possible to humanise them with a few muted touches. Together, first-time director Todd Levin, the screenplay-writing team and good performances from the lead actors allow this; in good hands, you don’t need acres of exposition to create a couple on-screen who are believably in mourning. Just a sidelong glance at a photo of the deceased little boy or the presence of a small keepsake garners more pathos than any protracted speech; this sense of loss is important for the film throughout, taking on a different significance as the plot proceeds.
And, as things proceed, Static reveals more and more that the force invading the home is somewhere between the earthly and the unearthly. I couldn’t help but think of ‘F’ and its omnipotent hooded figures at some points, as the same sense of awe and doubt also surrounds the invaders in the newer film. The outcome here is rather different, nonetheless: although the film drops in some rather trite tropes (jump-cuts, car trouble) it is at its best when maintaining the much more quiet sense of dread it builds so well, and the conclusion proves an engaging pay-off to that dread, merging earthly/unearthly in a way I didn’t see coming. Is the ending flawless? No, and there are a few ways you could pick it apart if you so wished; personally, I thought it was bold and effective enough to override the urge to do that. When a film can look tried-and-tested, but then it carries you in a different direction altogether, then it deserves credit.
An imaginative blend of genres and visual flair, Static is a real achievement for a first film, and I advise you to go into it spoiler-free to really give it its dues. Oh, and apologies to Sara Paxton. I take it all back!
Static will be released in the UK by Second Sight on 15th July 2013.