Decoys

Decoys begins with an appealing promise: Matthew Hastings will treat its horror film framework as a route into character rather than an excuse for noise. The early chemistry between Corey Sevier and Stefanie von Pfetten gives Decoys an immediate pulse. The story of Decoys begins from a specific pressure point: Luke and Roger are just another couple of college guys trying to lose their virginity. By the end of its 1h 35m running time, the value of Decoys rests less on novelty than on the care of its execution.

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The plot of Decoys is built around the uneasy relationship between Luke and Roger. For Corey Sevier, that relationship gives Decoys an emotional objective stronger than simple forward motion. The screenplay associated with Matthew Hastings lets the central character reshape the direction of Decoys in stages. Although the treatment of an important relationship could be sharper, Decoys never entirely loses the thread established at the beginning.

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The most useful technical choice in Decoys is patiently built dread, because it helps the audience understand both space and mood. Sci Fi Productions frames Decoys through patiently built dread without letting surface finish replace character. Drawing on its Canada background, Decoys uses carefully rationed sound to give familiar material a more specific texture. Cinematography, sound and editing meet effectively in Decoys whenever a sequence must feel large without losing its human scale.

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Beneath its plot, Decoys is most interested in fear, isolation and the moment familiar spaces stop feeling safe. That concern becomes visible through Corey Sevier, whose choices allow Decoys to explore an idea without stopping for a speech. Luke gives the themes of Decoys a concrete dramatic form rather than leaving them abstract. The emotional value of Decoys grows whenever Matthew Hastings trusts the audience to connect behaviour with the larger question.

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Matthew Hastings gives Decoys a directorial line that is unable to turn workable ingredients into a stable rhythm from its opening promise to its final movement. The staging of Decoys is strongest when Matthew Hastings allows motivation to determine pace instead of reversing that priority. Viewed as a complete piece, Decoys confirms that the premise retains appeal even when the finished film struggles across most of the running time. A tighter version of Decoys would address how explanation repeatedly takes the place of discovery, yet the surrounding work remains persuasive.

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What keeps Decoys emotionally readable is Corey Sevier, whose choices establish a consistent point of view. In scenes with Stefanie von Pfetten, Decoys gains tension from two performers refusing to produce the same kind of energy. Kim Poirier contributes a separate rhythm to Decoys and helps the supporting material feel less purely functional. The direction by Matthew Hastings gives the cast of Decoys room to connect the quieter beats with the larger ones.

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Taken as a whole, Decoys is a missed opportunity rather than a complete failure for horror viewers who prefer atmosphere to constant shocks. Decoys leaves its strongest impression through patiently built dread, the work of Corey Sevier and a clear understanding of tone. The limitations around how explanation repeatedly takes the place of discovery should be acknowledged, but they do not erase what Decoys does well. I would return to Decoys for its personality and its willingness to connect genre pleasure with recognisable feeling.