Rachel (Bonnie Root) is in a bad way at the beginning of Don’t Let Them Out. Life has not been kind to her. After losing her mother to suicide she inherits her estranged grandfather’s home in the desert. With little else but debt and a bad cell signal Rachel arrives at the home ready to sell. But there is someone or something on the property with a much bigger, far more sinister plan.
Writer, director Lila McLaughlin arrives with her promising first feature film, Don’t Let Them Out. A mash-up of a few sub-genres, we follow Rachel who arrives at her inherited family estate only to discover a deeper mystery that could either lead to financial security or certain death. While McLaughlin’s mystery is an enticing one, it struggles to pay off while maintaining an almost aggravating level of ambiguity. The result is a movie that is an enjoyable watch that leads us even further into a desert wasteland of questions.
When Rachel pulls up to her grandfather’s home she meets part-time realtor Jimmy (Louis Ferreira). He is there to hand off the keys and Rachel makes it clear that she is ready to sell this albatross of an inheritance. This desire is only strengthened when weird things happen at night. All of this changes, however, when Rachel discovers a letter from her grandfather. It seems that $250,000 in cash is hidden on the land and all that she has to do is follow a set of clues to find it. Will Rachel be able to find the money before the ghosts on the property render her lifeless? Can she fly under the radar long enough to hide the treasure from the anxious realtor?
For a nearly single-person horror movie there is a lot going on here. McLaughlin throws poor Rachel into the deep end by giving her a family mystery to untangle, ghosts in hot pursuit, and a treasure hunt. The story is effective and engrossing. But it ultimately goes nowhere. At least not to any immediately discernible conclusion. To her credit, Root carries the film with her desperate and impulsive portrayal of Rachel. We never tire of watching her as she peels back layer after layer of an increasingly dangerous puzzle. Like the typical mystery, we are only fed scant clues as it moves along, yet it is still intriguing. But things ultimately are far to vague to offer a satisfying conclusion.
Don’t Let Them Out is an entertaining, if ultimately baffling diversion. Root carries the film and takes us along with her for a wild journey. This is why casting directors are finally getting Oscar nominations. Writer, director McLaughlin is wonderful at writing interesting characters that are deeply flawed and compelling. I loved how this film developed and built tension and mystery. I loved the main character. I loved the strange paranormal elements. In the end, though, I did want some sort of explanation. That’s not to be confused with resolution. What’s here is a fun watch, but I am still trying to figure it out.
