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“The Veil” Embraces Enigma

Written by: Hannah Tran | October 4th, 2024

The Veil (Cameron Beyl, 2023) 3 out of 5 stars

Despite its brief length, Cameron Beyl’s The Veil makes a distinct impression. This tale of fate and redemption follows retired priest Douglas as he tries to atone for a moment in his youth when he abandoned a terrified Amish woman on the roadside. Now, while a solar storm brews overhead, another Amish woman named Hannah arrives at his door, trembling with a familiar fear, and the mystery begins to unravel. Blending horror and sci-fi, The Veil pushes the boundaries of its modest budget to craft a unique atmosphere that’s as unsettling as the green light that looms above.

While you can feel the limit of his budget, Beyl (Here Build Your Homes) skillfully navigates its constraints. The smartly focused scope of the story evokes a haunting sense of desolation that only enhances its themes. The setting is striking, and it’s well-shot, even if the cinematography occasionally leans too much into the darkness.

Sean O’Bryan in THE VEIL ©FilmFrontier Studios

Actors Sean O’Bryan (Missing) and Rebekah Kennedy (The Unseen) are both solid in their roles as Douglas and Hannah. Their strong dynamic makes up for any individual moments where they may not quite hit the mark. Both believably step into their shifting parts, even when some of their character’s actions push believability.

While it never fully evolves into horror, The Veil has an undercurrent of uneasiness that makes for a genuinely frightening experience. Its well-crafted atmosphere is foreboding, and its mysterious characters constantly pique one’s curiosity. The commitment to keeping cards close to the chest sustains this mystery for its entire runtime, although the final moments beg for a little more explanation.

Rebekah Kennedy in THE VEIL ©FilmFrontier Studios

The ending, while somewhat predictable, feels right for these characters and this story. However, there’s also this creeping feeling that it could have offered more. The dialogue leaves a lot to be desired by way of connecting to the larger picture and ideas. And while it doesn’t need a full clarification of every unworldly element in the story, the lack of any leaves those moments feeling partly without intention.

The Veil is a well-contained story that looks interesting and feels it. And although it takes a moment to find its footing, it rarely stumbles afterward.

l-r: Sean O’Bryan and Rebekah Kennedy in THE VEIL ©FilmFrontier Studios
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Hannah Tran is a film critic and filmmaker from Las Vegas, Nevada. Hannah works as a film screener for the Las Vegas Film Festival and publishes an independent zine focused on highlighing Asian American filmmaking.

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