Review: ‘BEHEMOTH’ is a visual stunner that would make Faust proud.

BEHEMOTH

In Peter Sefchik‘s directorial debut, BEHEMOTH, we find Josh in dire straights. A whistleblower for his former chemical company, he is convinced the corporation has made his daughter critically ill. In a last-ditch effort to make them come clean, he kidnaps his former boss in hopes that he’ll admit to wrongdoing. The plan quickly spirals out of control when Josh gets shot and begins to see things that may or may not be drug-induced. What happens when you sell your soul to the highest bidder? Josh is about to find out.

Sefchik’s visual work is nothing short of stunning. This should come as no surprise given his extensive career as a digital artist with the likes of George Lucas and James Cameron. The details are immaculate. While the performances from our dedicated cast veer into the amateur lane at times, their brightest moments come when interacting with what isn’t actually there. That’s more impressive than it sounds. Sefchik also co-wrote the script with producer Derrick Ligas. Social commentary is smartly placed inside a horror film. Themes of environmental destruction, media, and capitalism soak this story in realism. Using personal fears to goad our players into darkness is a brilliant touch. When greed rules, evil prevails. The fact that this entire film was made for $65,000 is mindblowing. Any indie filmmaker can attest to that. BEHEMOTH is a win in its script and most certainly in Sefchik’s mesmerizing VFX. If this is his first foray into feature storytelling, I cannot wait to see, quite literally, what comes next.


BEHEMOTH opens on digital platforms next Friday, August 27th.


BEHEMOTH is the stunning, VFX-heavy directorial debut of digital artist Peter Sefchik, whose lengthy career began at George Lucas‘ legendary Skywalker Ranch. His most notable past projects include AVATAR and the HARRY POTTER, SHREK, and STAR WARS franchises. He also serves as BEHEMOTH‘s Co-writer, Producer, and VFX Supervisor. The film’s cast includes Josh Eisenberg, Paul Statman, Jennifer Churchich, Richard Wagner, and Whitney Nielsen.

Color
English Language
88 minutes
Not Rated