“Shell of Fear” is an emotional and psychological thriller which is certainly not boring. This drama film, directed by Luca Solina, is based on themes of guilt, redemption, and the stable yet precarious components of the human mind. In the case of Samuel, the main character, he is a veteran of the leftist revolutionary wars. Having fled the sight of his crime and his foes for years, Samuel llocates himself within the tormenting, yet comfortable in regards to fear, limitations of agoraphobia – the syndrome of avoiding open spaces.
The development of the plot shows Samuel’s bump. His place of comfort turns out to be a control chamber with high levels of anxiety and timidity. Figures of his former life and the strong yet invaluable psyche slowly destroy his castle of privacy. Do all the threats that surround Samuel’s life truly exist or are they merely images that form in his head because he is insane? The unexpected appearance of strangest woman Sonia (Sara Ruzza) with Tanya (Luca di Corrado) who is somehow linked to Samuel’s murky past, force Samuel to strive through chaos for trust and betrayal. Why each character does what he does does not explain itself and as such, keeps chipping away the attention of the viewer, almost up until the end.
The film’s engrossing visuals further show Samuel’s short sighted reality through poorly lit rooms, unsettling sounds and strong contrasts. As he feels the pressure of the walls being barbed towards him, slowly, the audience enters his narration and experiences the dread. The throbbing tempo practically accompanies every suspenseing moment of the picture forcing viewers at the edge of their seats.
Reviews imply that Samuel character portrayed by Leonardo Calderone is intense and focuses on the person who is struggling between confinements of the body and mind. The subordinate cast participants enhance the situation with the mysteries of the character Sonia, performed by Sara Ruzza, who alternatively serves as a help and a danger.
The trailer appears to be wander in the dark threatening every pointer to leave the viewer grasping with suspense of whether the protagonist’s main adversaries are the outsiders or insiders. Every shot is rife with conflict which means there is something for everyone in Shell of Fear and the audience does not have to wait too long for the credits.
