13 Graves (2019) User Reviews

Interesting, but not alot of back story.

[bradhickford · 5/10 · 24 June 2019]

The concept of the film is rather interesting I liked the two main mobster characters, and Greg played his role well. I feel as if some back story on 'The woods people' would of helped the viewer understand why they are there and who they are. The initial start of the film felt slow with the starting credits, it didn't grab hold me unlike most films where the actions starts from the get go, but that's personal opinion.

Overall it was still a good watch, and I couldn't predict where the story was going! Well done to all the cast and crew for creating this thriller/horror!

Gangster Horror

[fatfil-414-451797 · 5/10 · 22 August 2019]

Have to agree with some other comments, on here.This first and foremost comes across as a Guy Ritchie gangster movie, and is quite enjoyable. The horror/supernatural elements really don't surface until the last 20 minutes or so, which seems to be a bit of a trend with horror movies these days. Having said that I did enjoy the movie, characters are great, acting too, nice atmospheric scenery. While I didn't foresee the twist ending, in hindsight I probably should have. All in all an enjoyable film, just don't expect a full on horror movie.

Underwhelming

[nezbitkn2 · 4/10 · 11 July 2019]

Blair Witch meets A Sixth Sense.... just took neither of the positives from either film.

Please do not waste your valuable time!

[supermac200 · 1/10 · 8 July 2019]

Absolutely woeful.... laugh out loud bad.... how so many people can be involved in such utter dross I will never know!

Yawn

[maarten-caris · 1/10 · 11 August 2019]

Worst movie I saw in a long time. Dragged out for a long time to nothing.

What was that!

[colin260266 · 2/10 · 15 July 2019]

Couldn't get passed the dreadful acting I'm afraid ....plain silly.

Yet again,

[aucottjohn · 3/10 · 13 July 2019]

Ita a below par film with terrible acting which I had to turn off before the end.

Reservoir Dogs meets the Wicker man

[geeklegionofdoom · 7/10 · 20 June 2019]

A British Crime horror movie. Combining the British crime movie flavour of Snatch & Lock stock , The gangster cool of Reservoir Dogs and the Pagan cult horror of the Wicker man.

What Works :

• A great cold open, instantly sets the status quo. Effortlessly introduces the players and the tone of the movie.
• Great characters. Our protagonists our 2 gangster heavies , but the ooze charm and have great chemistry on screen . The dialogue is great and they actually come across as real people. To male friends in real life would totally break down in hysterics when a friend would get stuck in the mud, or trip down a hill. I was boought in to their characters.
• Builds tension. The first act is more a crime story whilst the third shifts to cultists supernatural horror . The change is tone and building of tension is great and the supernatural threat ramps up.

What doesn't work:

• The second act falls a bit flat and feels like it's treading water somewhat
• Overuse of CGI blood squibs
• Sadly the climax is a little weak, and doesn't make much sense , and thus is a bit of a let down. You can more or less see something like it happening, but thy take it one step further and just left me feeling perplexed.

Overall a solid and watchable gangster horror hybrid . Well worth your time

Well it starts well ...

[Stenun · 3/10 · 24 December 2020]

I watch a lot of low budget films and I usually find myself using my computer or my phone while doing so. However the opening of 13 Graves kept my attention completely and my phone and my laptop went untouched for a good half hour. Then, unfortunately, the plot takes a turn and my attention started to wane. It goes from a crime thriller to some sub-Kill List wannabe and never makes the leap successfully. The tonal shift doesn't work, the narrative becomes boring and film starts to drag. Such a shame as if they had been able to maintain the opening 30 minutes for another hour then they could have had a great film on their hands. But by trying to be clever, they missed the mark badly. So 3 stars for the opening 30 minutes and nothing for the rest of the film.

Absolutely loved it

[commanderzeekgaming · 9/10 · 8 July 2019]

When going into this movie I never had the biggest expectations, only because it was low budget. However, when watching the whole thing (that ending btw wow!) I really wanted to watch it again. 9/10 I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who loves a bit of horror. Ignore those bad reviews they have no idea what they are talking about.

Cracking low budget horror!

[paulchronnell-316-894842 · 7/10 · 2 July 2019]

Low budget horrors are usually home to one or more of the following: bad story, bad acting, bad script, bad production design. John Langridge's 13 Graves is a wonderful surprise as it contains none of those!

Quite the opposite. It's a clever, tightly-written script with brilliant cast of quirky characters. The story mixes genre seamlessly and the film is great to look at, especially as night falls (where many horrors resort to frantic 'running around in the dark').

Because it has intelligence, and a story, at its core , it manages to be both gripping along the way and satisfying at the end.

I've seen 13 Graves once, and unlike most horror films, I'd happily watch it again - and that's not something I say very often.

Plain and absolutley no suspense

[chrisspencer-42529 · 3/10 · 4 December 2019]

This piece never got going. Really not a lot of back story provided. Acting was average at best throughout, with little to no suspense.

A very bad movie with no plot

[olcayozfirat · 2/10 · 26 November 2023]

One of the worst movies I've ever watched. It has neither a proper plot nor actors. They look like caricatures. Acting is not even amateur. I wonder what kind of feedback the directors who make such films expect from the audience. Since there is no plot in the movie, there is nothing to tell. There are just two mafia hitman types running around in the woods and talking a lot. They buried the people they killed in this forest. Is it a cult or something? It revives dead people. Or so I understood. It's truly a waste of time movie. I could only finish it by sleeping for 5 nights. It's that interesting.

There is no sexuality or nudity in the movie.

13 Graves (2019)

[keithstanier · 1/10 · 6 January 2020]

Horror none, Mystery is why did they make it, a lot of irrelevant Drama 90%, I skipped through all the crap, very drawn out slow going, bad acting or reading a bad script, total garbage, its like watching paint dry, of topic 13 Graves was filmed in 13 days, lol

Don't waste your time or effort on this one...

[paul_haakonsen · 2/10 · 20 April 2020]

This movie is listed as a horror mystery, which was essentially why I took the time to sit down and watch it. I had not even heard about this 2019 movie prior to finding myself to come across it by sheer random chance in 2020.

I had no expectations to the movie, as I knew nothing about it. So writer and director John Langridge had every opportunity to impress and bedazzle me.

Turns out that this movie was a massive swing and a miss in terms of it being entertaining and enjoyable for me. I think I managed somewhere around 30 minutes into it, then I just gave up. The storyline was utter rubbish, and it was quite far from being even remotely horror related. This was more like a poor man's gangster movie.

I am rating "13 Graves" two out of ten stars, solely because there was some quality to the production of the movie. But as for the storyline, the acting and the overall appeal of the movie, this was not worth the time or effort.

This is not a movie I have any intention of returning to finish, as it was unfathomably boring and stupid.

The Dead May Be Revolting... But They Wont Petrify You...

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 5/10 · 3 May 2020]

13 Graves is an underdeveloped film. Not all its ideas are entirely formed. The movie remains an enjoyable waste of time though.

John Langridge, the writer and director, gives the audience a good twist on a ghost story. When a gangster's son tries to cheat her out of a deal, she doles out her justice... She has her henchmen take him into the woods... and not for a picnic. Luckily for him, these woods are not strictly natural. For one thing, the mobsters use them for their graveyard.

Roaming this woodland is a hulk of a woodsman. Could the woodsman be guilty of digging up the executed or is something sinister responsible?

Imagine walking through the foliage shadowed land. You hear a noise. Is an animal nearby or is somebody stalking you? This unease is what you should feel throughout the movie. However, the creepiness is lacking in the film. This is a major disappointment since it's a horror flick.

Langridge doesn't lack the skill to create atmosphere. He easily builds excitement and works in a few comedic elements. He has the talent, he just doesn't utilise it completely.

The ambience isn't the only thing not wholly implemented. When one of the cold-blooded-killers gets chased through the woods, it would have been great to watch the chase. However, he falls into the building his mate's in, rolls over, and say's, "There's something out there!" This is a wasted occasion to create the missing creepiness.

The cast is great. Everyone gives their best, and their expertise is clear. They raise the film out of its directorial and pacing predicaments. They don't make the picture great, but they keep it watchable.

Morgan James as the hitman Terry looks tough, a guy you wouldn't mess with. But he does a great sarcastic face. Terry's the one who adds most of the humour.

Terri Dwyer as the mob boss Maddy is perfect. She's cool, collected, and intelligent. But her cruel ruthlessness is what you'll remember. When she confronts her son about his deceit, you know you wouldn't her for your mother.

Maddy's treacherous son, Billy, is admirably portrayed by Jacob Anderton. He's great at portraying a con artist, always thinking and scheming. It may be these traits that keep him alive.

Even Michael McKenn who plays Maddy's dead husband Len gives a powerful performance. Though he says little, he has the right bearing for a mob boss. Whenever he's on-screen, you envisage a man of power. A man of influence and authority.

This film isn't the best it could be, and the ending is confusing, however, it's still worth one viewing. If you like gangster films or ghost stories, give the movie a look-see. If you don't, then I'd suggest leaving this film alone. Especially since better movies are available to watch first.

Ratings: Story 1.25 : Direction 0.75 : Pace 0.75 : Acting 1.5 : Enjoyment 1 : Total 5.25 / 10

Scarper across to my Absolute Horror list and check where this un-creepy ghost story got planted in my ratings.

Take Care and Stay Well.

KIll List meets Wickerman

[shawtime55-9-193840 · 6/10 · 22 June 2019]

Solid dependable horror thriller with a very able cast. Special mention to Jacob Alderton as Billy who was effortless. First half was great with terrific direction. photography and a great soundtrack- which helped crank up the tension further.

Second half seemed to run out of ideas. The ending didn't make much sense and seemed a little rushed and I would personally have liked to have felt a bit more depth and empathy with the characters.

On the whole t though a great idea. that's sure to do go down well with horror fans.

A pretty good independent horror film

[tombrearleysmith · 7/10 · 10 November 2019]

Two experienced hitmen, Frank and Terry (Kevin Leslie and Morgan James) march their latest victim, Billy (Jacob Anderton), to the "mob graveyard" where they kill and bury their targets. When Billy escapes, the hitmen are left with no choice but to hunt him through the forest, where they soon find themselves stalked by supernatural spirits as the hunters become the hunted.

The film's use of long shots of the forest in its opening sequence is atmospheric and sets a foreboding tone, letting the audience know that something sinister is about to happen.

Kevin Leslie and Morgan James give serious, meaningful and sincere performances. Greg Daven as the mysterious woodsman proceed to ham it up either for comedic effect and/or melodrama.

Not long into the film, there's a brief moment when a sinister-looking man talks to Terry and Frank, claiming to know everything that goes on in the forest. This creates a sense of mystery and foreshadows some morbid moments.

The film has pace, with some scenes focusing on dramatic chases, while others are more focused on taking in the scenery of the forest. The film starts off slowly, perhaps to introduce us to the characters and what they do, but when Billy enters the abandoned building with "THY JUDGEMENT COMETH" written in blood on a wall, the plot really starts to pick up. It takes time for the plot to develop, but when it gets there, it can surely pack a punch!

The special effects are very impressive for an independent horror film. It looks realistic and you can tell the make-up department put lots of effort into getting the blood effects to look incredibly detailed. The make-up looks especially detailed in the film's climax which I can give extra merits for. Perhaps the green blood splatters shown in the flashback sequences connote something unusual.

The movie's use of sound design was also pretty good. At times, there was an effective use of loud noises to scare viewers as well as signifying the supernatural threats Terry and Frank encounter in the second half.

With an overall decent plot, I just wish it did more with some of the plot-threads. There are many red herrings, including someone/something living in the duffel bag shown at the start of the movie, which calls to mind 'Basket Case' (1982).

When the film slows down for the sake of character moments, it can get really interesting. Frank talks about his past relationship with Holly (Faith Elizabeth), who appears later in the film's climax which I won't spoil. The whole sequence gives Frank and Terry some humanity and empathy rather than just being emotionless, hardened hitmen.

Without giving much away, the film does a solid job of trying to convey a message on the morality of contract killers involving a cult. Frank questions his morality concerning the people he killed, which was an interesting twist.

Overall, '13 Graves' is a pretty good independent horror film with an effective use of make-up, sound and cinematography. The film definitely has some solid acting, particularly from Kevin Leslie and Morgan James as Terry and Frank.

A low budget horror that really works.

[gaz1012006 · 7/10 · 13 July 2019]

Believable characters with an interesting story line. There was nothing I didn't like about this movie. Great little low budget horror.

Thrilling, chilling and compelling

[jdlanglands · 8/10 · 30 March 2020]

A good independent film that keeps the tension and intensity throughout.

I Gave it a 6

[brentgray73 · 6/10 · 11 July 2019]

I liked it..Yes there was a couple of partsin it that was a bit well...on the WTF sid...but what movie hasn got that...It was a geat movie...had some really trippy parts in it and if you follow my reviews i love a good movie with some trippy parts...give it a go you might be surprised.....happy dayz

I was entertained :-)

[sfx-882-826031 · 7/10 · 11 July 2019]

This is not your average 50 million Hollywood production (what DO they spend all that money on?!) BUT ...

It was thoughtfully filmed. The script was thought out, and there was a story. The acting was much better than your average low budget movie, and it got better as the movie progressed. The idea and the resolution at the end was interesting. I particularly appreciated the absence of "stock horror moments." Thank you. Above all else, I watched this movie from start to finish, didn't wander off, didn't check my phone, and I was entertained.

Good effort, and I look forward to seeing more from this production team.

Darkly comic folk horror doesn't miss a beat!

[kerryjim-41 · 8/10 · 26 June 2019]

Thoroughly enjoyed this folk horror with a theme of karmic retribution running through it's core. The film sets up like a classic British gangster flick but slowly it becomes clear a more sinister force is at play. The relationships between the three male leads is very convincing and is punctuated with some great dark comic moments. For me the film really picks up pace as we are introduced to the presence of The Woodsman and The Acolytes, the drumming, powerfully provided by The Pentacle Drummers, adds a sense of impending doom and cultish ritual. The use of fire to highlight the faces of The Woodsman and Acolytes gives the scenes a dark ethereal quality. 13 Graves makes you take a different look at life, it's possibilities and the consequences of choices people make and in the current climate that couldn't be more relevant. I also love that this film is a folk horror which I always find particularly enjoyable and with other films in the genre also coming out this year, this film couldn't be more on trend.

Nice Lo-bud

[gab-67599 · 6/10 · 9 May 2021]

I went into this movie with low expectations and it was surprisingly enjoyable. I more then half enjoyed it so that is why I rated it a 6, anything more would be a lie. The story was good up until the fire, then I got lost and confused. With a better story this movie could have been something special for sure. They get an A for effort though. I recommend if you have nothing better to do and are sick of all the fake acting in the world.

Great story fantastic cast

[jamesmodestou-48951 · 10/10 · 10 July 2019]

Loved this movie. Great British horror with compelling storylines and strangely likeable 'bad guys' would recommend to anyone who is a fan of this genre! Fingers crossed for 14 Graves!