25/42
What they discover is far more terrifying than they could have imagined
Tale
Follows a group of friends who travel to a remote campsite to film a documentary. When Gary first appears, blood is pouring from his left ear, but in later scenes it’s only from his right, and there’s no sign of blood around.
Mention Half-Bagged: Snowfall (2023) (2023)
on the left side.. There are so many low-budget horror movies being streamed these days that I don’t bother reviewing most of them because I really can’t watch them all the way through.
The beginning is decent, with enough suspense to keep you watching, even though it may feel like you’ve seen it all before
At first glance, 'The Bell Ringer' looked like it might be another one of those that I turn off after about half an hour. It starts with a typical horror setup: a group of friends (one of whom always looked like a young Edward Furlong to me – if you know your Terminator 2 cast!) stumble upon a dark legend, strange events occur, and we’re forced into the familiar formula of a haunted forest at night.
Surprisingly, though, halfway through, ‘The Ringer’ throws a bit of a curveball – I thought it was going one way, but it’s actually going the other
Instead of wading through predictable tropes, it veers into (slightly!) fresher territory, giving it an unexpectedly compelling look that you can’t help but get invested in. This change of direction at least goes some way to making the film stand out from the sea of horror films that struggle to stay original.
It may not be groundbreaking or a must-see, but it’s refreshing to watch—especially in a genre that’s rife with underrated entries
The film balances a new twist on the mythos with solid character moments, ultimately creating an atmosphere that’s intriguing enough to warrant a watch. If you’re in the mood for a horror film that tries something different, even if it doesn’t always succeed, The Bell Keeper is worth a watch (and is it just me, or were the filmmakers hoping this would become some kind of franchise?).