** This is a spoiler-free review**
The 11th Patient is an Independent Horror movie Directed by Derek Cole. It’s also written by Derek Cole, alongside Steven Cole and is from Uncork’d Entertainment.
The official synopsis reads:
A boy is found in a coma deep in the woods several months after his kidnapping. The man that kidnapped him is still at large and Steven is the only person who witnessed and survived the ordeal.
Now, Steven has been brought to a doctor who specializes in PTSD patients. He must connect to Steven and make him face his fears in order to bring him out of his coma and catch the man that did this.
Take a look at the trailer below:
The 11th Patient relies on a few jump-scares and instead pulls in the viewer with slowly paced sequences. The slow pace creates an atmosphere of dread and unease.
It makes the viewer question what Steven sees next and if there will be a jump scare to boot.
Fans of jump scares will be sad to know there’s not many in The 11th Patient. However, it leaves you guessing throughout for when one inevitably happens.
It’s certainly a choice to be thankful for as it makes them more meaningful in the long run.
If The 11th Patient was to use an alternative title then claustrophobia would be its name. With the use of mostly small sets and Steven crawling a lot, the film makes a compelling case for being afraid of close spaces.
There’s a sequence that opens the film and forces an unsettling nature on the viewer. From the word go, there is no escape and no time to breathe. That goes for both Steven and the viewer.
It’s the Direction of Derek Cole that aids this feeling. His masterful command of the shots makes every moment count and generates the idea there is always something watching Steven.
Along with that, it also brings forth the idea that evil lurks around every corner. Also, there’s a case to be made that the various villains in The 11th Patient could theoretically spin-off into their own solo movies.
In a way, it’s reminiscent of The Conjuring universe where bit part evils are ready for their own chance to shine.
One of them in particular, the scarecrow-esque creature with burlap over its head, gives off a Jason Voorhees vibe. There’s definitely room for it to become its own villain down the line.
The original soundtrack by Techno Axe and Myuu is sinister and harkens back to the likes of A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th.
Since The 11th Patient is similar to Elm Street with most of its story taking place within a dream world the similarity in soundtrack helps to increase the feeling of unease.
That’s the wonderful thing about The 11th Patient. Even though there isn’t much back story until more than halfway through, there’s no chance of losing interest.
It’s because of the rich soundtrack and unsettling atmosphere the interest stays.
The film begs us to ask what happened and who these creations are in Steven’s mind. It forces us to keep watching to see if there are answers to our questions.
While it seems to be a one-off I wouldn’t say no to seeing a sequel that explores more of its world and the kidnapper.
The 11th Patient is a Horror you don’t want to miss. What it lacks in a clear story for its first half, it makes up for in its claustrophobic atmosphere and its solid soundtrack.
