The Corridor

A Chronicle Pictures and Last Call Prods. production, in association with Egg Films, with the participation of Telefilm Canada and Film Nova Scotia. Directed by Evan Kelly. Screenplay, Josh MacDonald.With: Stephen Chambers, James Gilbert, David Flemming, Matthew Amyotte, Glen Matthews.Yet another supernatural thriller about friends who slip into darkness while out in the woods, "The Corridor" offers little more than low-voltage shocks while plodding through familiar territory toward an underwhelming climax. Helmer Evan Kelly and scripter Josh MacDonald rely on full-volume thesping from their game cast to indicate that something really and truly terrifying is going on, but fuzzy plot development and all-too-predictable mayhem aren't enough to elevate the Canadian-produced pic above run-of-the-mill, direct-to-video fare. Years after their buddy Tyler (Stephen Chambers) suffers a violent meltdown after the (allegedly) accidental death of his mom, four former high-school chums celebrate his release from an institution by joining him for a reunion at his late mother's winter cabin. But in the snow-blanketed forest outside the retreat, a possibly extraterrestrial "corridor" -- a translucent, steadily growing whatnot that recalls the aliens in "The Abyss" -- gradually exerts inexplicable control over the comrades, bringing their deepest fears and worst impulses to the surface. (A modestly clever irony: Because he's heavily medicated, Tyler is immune to mind control.) Some confrontations among the lead characters are quite funny, though it's hard to tell whether this is intentional.Camera (color), Christopher Ball; editor, Thorben Bieger; music, Charles Austin, Graeme Campbell; production designer, Terry Quennell; costume designer, Martha Curry. Reviewed at Fantastic Fest, Austin, Sept. 25, 2011. (Also in Toronto After Dark Film Festival.) Running time: 99 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com