Reverberance

Reverberance was written and directed by Alex DiVincenzo and T.J. Frizzi. It stars Sheri Lee as a woman going about her day until she is drawn into the woods. If that doesn’t interest you maybe this will, Reverberance is centered on autonomous sensory meridian responses (ASMR).

The performances are fine. There is no dialogue, and there is very little story. Body language is vital here. It’s done well, but Reverberance‘s short length and sheer simplicity don’t create many opportunities for an actor or actress to impress. There are only two characters, and we know extremely little about them. This is not something one should watch for the story.

I must admit I am not a fan of ASMR. While others find it appealing, I find it annoying. Regardless of whether or not I appreciate ASMR, a question presents itself. What does the trend of ASMR have to offer the horror genre? How can it benefit horror? It’s too much to ask of Reverberance or any one piece of media to answer that question, but it might give some insight. The sound quality is great, but not every sound focused on penetrated my indifference. I don’t think the sound of wind chimes added to the horror or the story in any way. Alternatively, I think the caws of distant birds did. It brought to mind images of crows and everything associated with them. Moving on toward the more visual elements, Reverberance captures the encouraging whimsy of the outdoors. I think this is one of the reasons I didn’t feel any suspense, as well as one of the reasons the wind chimes did add to the overall experience for me. It felt too playful. There are practical effects. They’re ok but greatly uplifted by the simplistic design of what they are portraying.

What does ASMR have to offer horror? I think we’re all still figuring that out. What’s clear is like any physical or digital tool how and when ASMR is used is more significant than the use of ASMR itself. As for Reverberance, there simply wasn’t enough meat on its bones to satisfy me. Its primary focus was on the ASMR stuff, and personally, I need more than that. Although I can’t say I loved the experience, I am grateful for it. Projects like this are how you encourage innovation and change within the genre. Perhaps one day I will witness the ASMR horror film that will open me up to more ASMR experiences.