3 out of 5 stars (average)
Note: Protanopia contains sequences of flashing lights that may affect those with photosensitive epilepsy. If you have that, I would advise against watching it.
I get the feeling Protanopia will be a big hit around Halloween. It’s a creepy supernatural chiller with 2 solid leading performances, claustrophobic direction, and a good soundtrack that will give you the heebie-jeebies and reach for the light switch. Coming from writer/director Matthew Mahler, Protanopia gets under your skin fast and stays there till its end, with a misjudged use of flashing lights interrupting what is otherwise a solid creepfest.
Luke (Anthony Carey) has been looking for his missing sister with no luck. One night, he begins dreaming of a house he’s never visited with spooky apparitions whispering to him, including that of his sister. Unbeknownst to him, in the real world that house is owned by the socially-awkward Alan (Timothy J. Cox) who also sees apparitions on the property and is being instructed by them. As the two men’s paths inevitably cross, violent secrets will be revealed beyond what either could have imagined.
Protanopia is a remarkably well-paced film. Each scene is written efficiently without any fluff or padding whatsoever and the two protagonists get enough screentime to engage with both of them until they meet. The musical score also stands out and maintains the film’s consistently uneasy vibe, also assisted by the claustrophobic cinematography. Timothy J. Cox does especially well making Alan both uncomfortable to be around and sympathetic as we see how his neighbors treat him (Paula Mahler also shines as Janice, the controlling neighborhood head whose disdain for Alan is less subtle than spots on a Dalmatian).
I also appreciate that the film doesn’t get too bogged down in exposition about what’s ultimately happening, but gives you just enough to piece it together. How the apparitions are handled here is both a strength and a weakness, as the visuals of them and how they enter and exit scenes are great, but they often bring intense flashing lights with them. I used to have seizures as a kid from intense flashing lights, and if I still did, I would have had to turn this film off pretty fast despite enjoying it. I thankfully don’t have them now, but had the flashing lights been toned down in their intensity, I would have enjoyed those sequences more. However, I still had a good time with this film and am interested to see where Mahler and his crew’s careers go in the future.
Despite a slip-up with the use of flashing lights, Protanopia is a well-paced, solidly creepy horror film that will fit just fine for stormy nights. See it.
Not Rated