Remember those VHS board games that littered the market in the eighties and nineties? They all followed the same formula: a traditional board game of the adventure variety that utilized pre-recorded video as a tour guide. Turns were taken both with the roll of the dice and the instruction of the video’s narrator, usually an over-the-top caricature. While the genres extended to fantasy, sci-fi, and action/adventure (such as an Indiana Jones rip-off), the most common one was horror as it most befit the parlor tricks of both board games and VHS. Each tape would demand the lights be turned down and the volume cranked up as to hit the players with a barrage of jump scares and trippy imagery. It was cheap as hell, but damned if it wasn’t effective! The combination of video and board game was a surprisingly good marriage.
“Beyond the Gates” is a loving throwback to those VHS board games! Not just them, but also the quaintness of video stores and the engrossing absurdity of video nasties. Jackson Stewart and Stephen Scarlata have cooked up a clever nostalgia rush that stands on its own two feet thanks to their tight script! The past few years have seen a flurry of nostalgia attractions that focus too heavily on the style and not enough on the substance. They wind up being a vomitorium of once popular fads, quirky fashion, overindulgent visuals, and self-aware tropes, with the creativity of the filmmakers getting lost in the nostalgia. Take for example “Turbo Kid” and “Kung Fury,” two fun flicks that run their course by beating the audience over the head with their nostalgia. After a while, it becomes numbing.
Such is not the case with “Beyond the Gates,” thankfully! Stewart & Scarlata wisely incorporate the nostalgia into the story, having the action take place in the present with the relics of the past being integral without being abrasive. The film opens in the summer of 1992 during the grand opening of a local video store, then cuts to present day. The video store has been closed, the victim of both the times and the disappearance of its owner. His two sons, Gordon (Graham Skipper) & John (Chase Williamson), have returned to clean up the place and tidy up their family home for sale. It is in the video store that they stumble upon the mysterious VHS board game, “Beyond the Gates.”
“Beyond the Gates” starts out like any other VHS board game. A commanding narrator appears once the static settles, this time portrayed by the voluptuous Barbara Crampton. She is Evelyn, and she stares into the camera with an eerie blank stare. There are awkward pauses during her instructions, as if she’s impatiently waiting on a response from the players. As corny as it sounds, that’s exactly what she’s doing. This is no ordinary game and there’s a reason their father had it locked away in his office. It is a gateway to Hell that traps the players in an alternate dimension, so to speak, until the game is finished. A cartoonishly evil antiques shop owner by the name of Elric (Jesse Merlin) warns Gordon’s girlfriend, Margot (Brea Grant), of the dangers of the game all the while being incredibly vague. The creepiest of horror stories reveal little to heighten the suspense, a convention Stewart & Scarlata know and implement well.
What I appreciated most about Stewart & Scarlata’s script is their admiration for the characters. They are not mere pawns in a game, but fully developed people with intelligence. They make mistakes, but not at the adherence of clichés. They initially agree to forego playing the game after Evelyn states their mission is to save their father’s soul. They call the authorities, only for them to see only static (the protagonists can see the game, but nobody else can). Even without this lifeline, they cease operation of the game, only drawn back in through demonic forces. Any attempt to trash and/or destroy the game is futile, as it magically reappears back on the coffee table. Their personal lives are haunted by the presence of ghouls, some more violent than others. The trio have no choice but to play the game.
Exposition rarely plays a factor in doling out the details. Even when Stewart & Scarlata rely on it, it is in organic fashion. We learn of the brothers’ troubled past after Margot pries John for information. In return, she provides him the reasoning for Gordon’s abstinence from alcohol. This provides just enough info for the audience to sink their teeth into without feeling forced. Credit to the three performers for building towards their revelations, little quirks in their mannerisms telling a story all their own. The way Gordon shifts his eyes blankly and fidgets when confronted with his past, how erratic John is when questioned about his current status, and Margot’s pained eyes as she watches her boyfriend struggle. This attention to humanity in Stewart’s direction instills the film with depth, giving more weight to the proceedings.
Jackson Stewart could’ve rode on the coattails of the premise alone, but instead he focuses his direction on the characters. The tremendous special effects add to the horror as opposed to playing out like a highlight reel. Ghouls are white and sullen, stumbling about as if the life had been sucked out of them. They are defeated in gory fashion, their organs spilling out at the seams along with a key. These keys are used in the game to unlock doors, the final one leading to the titular gate. It is awash in dark blue and purple shadows, a tinge of neon peeking through. When one goes beyond the gates, their surroundings become caked in this tint. An ingenious way to capture the style of the eighties without being too gaudy!
All of these elements are reserved as to not drown out the characters and their motivation. Their journey to save their father’s soul and find peace is at the forefront, never once taking a backseat to the effects. This results in the game itself being somewhat downplayed, a relatively brief excursion equipped with voodoo and paranormal activity. I was fine with this in return for the character development, the only time it created a noticeable issue being in the finale. The final act feels too rushed, the result of a constrained budget or a shortsighted vision. It moves too quickly, the players figuring out their game plan almost immediately. To relate it to a game, the final boss was nearly nonexistent. A quick scuffle with past demons and a moral battle is all there was, wrapped up in a matter of minutes. It’s kind of a letdown after the terrific build, though the emotional aspect keeps it from sinking.
This is a minor quibble in regard to an otherwise fantastic horror film! One filled with tremendous special effects, solid atmosphere, intoxicating visuals, and an intriguing premise! Best of all, Stewart & Scarlata are focused on the characters the most, resulting in a more enriching experience. “Beyond the Gates” avoids the pratfalls of the nostalgia rush, becoming an original and inventive chiller; one that is as fun and thrilling as the VHS board games it so lovingly harkens back to!
Final Rating: A-