Dead Mail Film Review

 

Dead Mail Film Review

Halfway to Halloween Presented by Shudder

We’re halfway through our halfway to Halloween celebration with Shudder!

So far we watched and reviewed 825 FOREST ROAD and SHADOW OF GOD.

This week brings you a noir thriller, DEAD MAIL.

On a desolate, Midwestern county road, a bound man crawls towards a remote postal box, managing to slide a blood-stained plea-for-help message into the slot before a panicking figure closes in behind him.

The note makes its way to the desk of Jasper, a seasoned ‘dead letter’ investigator at a 1980s midwestern post office.

As he begins to piece together the letter’s origins, it leads him down a violent, unforeseen path to a kidnapped keyboard engineer and his eccentric business associate.

DEAD MAIL is a thriller told in three distinct parts using two storylines that eventually merge at the climax of the film.

The first part sets the vibe for a potential cat and mouse game thanks to the thoroughness of the dead letter office. It’s an intriguing beginning that immediately pulls you into the story and then abruptly shifts, taking you down the path of the second storyline

The second part/storyline is focused around the how and why behind the dead letter received in the first part of the film. The main antagonist is eccentric to say the least and the story gives off strong John Fowles’ THE COLLECTOR vibes. (Add to your reading list). At times, the pacing can feel a bit slow but the build up is worth it as the film moves in the third part where both storylines collide.

All around, this is a very well-done noir thriller that demands to be on a movie shelf for viewing parties. The purposeful aesthetic of the film immediately transports you back to the 80s and the characters, both minor and major, leave a lasting impression.

Make this Friday night movie night with DEAD MAIL, popcorn, and ice cream. I suggest Neapolitan. I think you’ll thank me later.