“Shadows Side” ,pure cinematographic art takes you in ‘Déjà Vu’ kind of world as every corner of the depicted world is so engrossing that reality and a nightmare appears to be walking hand in hand. Cal and Sophie (Fábio Campos) head out to a beautiful yet distant place, a dream like hideaway only to discover at the onset they had walked onto the center of a storied across centuries curse. The cursed placed is what entraps Sophie, as surrounding wilderness is tall and full of only dry trees and unusual spooky surroundings as she gets more and more obsessed with unusual spooky ghouls and the evolving setting around the mansion.
What we see a lot in this movie depicted cleanly and confidently is Sophie’s paranoia, as she is fast to begin to see things which cannot be described seeing how chaos erupts around her. The most common is her seeing a shadow in the mirror, hearing voices , that she dismisses – or tries to outsmart them however, she fails which leads her to finding a bizarre mandala on the terrace of the cabin. And the best part about this plot is there is a bigger picture, something to connect or even comprehend the unexplained events. Everything appears to be puzzling when Cal is in the picture. He seems to avoid Sophie’s questions that leads Sophie to more confusion where sophie is left to fend for herself. It’s intriguingly terrifying what happens next as every moment which she did begin to unlock, linking not just her family heritage, but also the site itself.
The Cast and Their Haunting Performances
Watching Alice Oliveira perform as Sophie left one feeling transformed. She effectively demonstrated how Sophie develops from an eager romance to growing into a survivor in dire situations. Fábio Campos, on the other hand, plays Cal in an ominous way so much, one cannot tell if he is on the receiving end of the curse or he is the antagonist. Further, one never forgets the cryptic gardener played by Beto Quirino, whose echoes of warnings remain perennial even in his absence. On the other hand, Magna Fontes helped deepen the plot as Mrs. Carmem, a local character who appears to be enigmatic.
A Story You Can’t Look Away From
Director Silvio Toledo crafts a masterful psychological thriller where every creak of the floorboards and every flicker of candlelight pulls you deeper into the terror. The cinematography captures the beauty and isolation of the chalet, creating a chilling juxtaposition with the unfolding horror. Shadows and light play critical roles, often hiding more than they reveal. The haunting score by André Nogueira weaves seamlessly into the narrative, amplifying the tension and drawing you into Sophie’s plight.
“Shadows Side” is not just a ghost story—it’s a tale of trust, betrayal, and the lengths one will go to uncover the truth. Sophie’s journey is both terrifying and empowering, making her a character viewers will root for until the final, heart-stopping twist.
