Caradog James hit headines with the release of science fiction thriller THE MACHINE. An independent entry in the AI conundrum that rivalled Hollywood entries EX_MACHINA and AUTOMATA and came out on top. Now he returns with a straight out horror film that brings the best of British cinema.

 

When orphan Chloe (Lucy Boynton) is reunited with her mother (Katee Sackhoff) her personal life and events surrounding it become a challenging barrier between their bond. Having seen a child go missing many years before, Chloe believes that a demon obsessed with the food of the young and it’s back to get her. Amidst her mothers attempts to right her wrongs, the truth prevails and a mystery of how the boy went missing enfolds the pair in a race against time to unravel the truth.

 

Filmed mostly in Wales, DON’T KNOCK TWICE is one of the best British horror films to arrive this decade and certainly is enough to rival the likes of THE CONJURING and INSIDIOUS for scares. Boynton and Sakhoff have great chemistry and the frustration as well as hostility are all too real which is what makes their ultimate rekindling as enthralling to watch as it is to endear.

 

Where the scares really play out are in the visual terror of the demon and a fantastic unsettling score from THE GUEST scribe Steve Moore and James Edward Barker (THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE 2, PSYCH:9). Refreshingly, DON’T KNOCK TWICE has everything a horror film should have, a great score, good cast, an exciting story and a terrifying unfolding of events, it even has a chime to boot. Knock once to wake her from her bed. Knock twice to raise her from the dead. 

 

DON’T KNOCK TWICE manages to send shivers up the spine and as the plot unfolds the gripping story never lets go. James’ blend of horror and mystery harks back to a Victorian era of horror where the gore and shock was second to the nature of the mystery and DON’T KNOCK TWICE has plenty of that. The cast all bide together to keep the drama at the centre of the action, even when things really do go bump in the night.

 

Mesmerising and haunting, DON’T KNOCK TWICE has a charm that will make it unforgettable and an instant classic for fans of an old fashioned ghost story with a modern twist but even for those looking for a good scare, can find what they need right here in this little gem.