“The Town That Takes” follows a desperate father and detective who must uncover the terrifying legend of Croatoan after a child vanishes and a series of unexplained killings consume the area.
Similar to 2020’s “The Empty Man,” co-writer and director Britt Bankhead delivers a slow burn of dread in “The Town That Takes.” While David Prior’s film revolved around cosmic horror, Bankhead’s explores Croatoan folklore. Both weave their narratives into an investigative thriller format with deep dramatic undertones.
Here, the length is much shorter with a 93-minute runtime, which is for better and for worse. Even with a patient approach, “The Town That Takes” is never dull. It spends an abundance of time exploring character dynamics — mostly between the cops and between Dean and his son. This development pays off as strange events unfold, giving the audience reason to trust or distrust specific individuals. However, the limited length prevents it from diving deeper into the lore. Many have probably never heard of the disappearance of the Roanoke colony, giving the movie an easy opportunity to expand upon the Croatoan legend with a twist. The basic idea is intriguing, but the execution becomes overstuffed with genre clichés that prevent it from feeling fresh.
Most of the lore actually comes through exposition. This grows increasingly frustrating with each passing conversation, as the movie bypasses visual exploration by constantly explaining events to the audience. In the process, it becomes more of a lecture than a lesson, as viewers are never able to decipher answers for themselves. By the time “The Town That Takes” reaches its end, the meaning behind the mythology is still underexplored. Still, the conclusion itself is more about family than fantasy. This allows the film to forgo the “meaning behind it all” in favor of an emotional outcome.
Bankhead and Jon Blaze’s script pauses for moments of intensity. Unfortunately, these sequences prove to be the most frustrating. After being questioned for murder, what should you do? Well… beat someone to a pulp and attempt to evade the police, of course. These leaps in logic not only take away aspects of realism, but they also lead to an unlikable protagonist who puts his kid in danger.
Despite this, the large-scale scenes are well crafted. Including car chases, hand-to-hand combat and gunfire, “The Town That Takes” even veers into the action genre at times. Blaze also handles the cinematography and editing, bringing these moments to life with wide-angle shots that capture all of the movement — contrasting well with the close-ups during character conversations. Alongside this are the choreography and effects, which are convincing enough. When punches land, the sound design helps you feel their impact. When violence erupts, the splatters of blood make the consequences feel real.
Bankhead (Dean) stars in the film, portraying a hard-nosed, imperfect character. His performance is mostly one-note by design, delivering straightforward lines that get his point across quickly. Still, Bankhead does allow some emotion to shine through when acting alongside Nico Tirozzi (Wyatt). Also appearing are Miles Mussenden (Douglas O’Shea), Grace Patterson (St. Clair) and Mike Markoff (Adams).
“The Town That Takes” wraps Croatoan folklore around a story about kin. The slow-burn horror keeps you waiting, but the emotional beats make some of the patience pay off.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
