When I’m surprised by a film it honestly throws me into a state of euphoria. On the one hand, I admire every independent production for the sole fact that it got made, and as a screenwriter and independent filmmaker I know how difficult it is for anything to get made, in these days and past. But on the other hand, it’s far too often that indie horror falls victim to a weak script or overly ambitious effects, losing the heart of what makes indie horror truly effective. And aside from the uncanny resemblance of the poster to the 2019 Carlo Mirabella-Davis show-stopper Swallow, Ian Hunt-Duffy’s feature debut Double Blind is an original and powerful take on experimental drug/sleep horror films.

Double Blind follows a group of rag-tag strangers desperate, or at least lustful, for financial gain through participating in a double-blind study from the supposedly reputable Blackwood Pharmaceuticals. Pollyanna McIntosh (The Woman) makes a great showing as Dr. Burke, the well-meaning facilitator of the study, and Millie Brady (The Last Kingdom) is mesmerizing as lead Claire, a first timer in the group of participants who carefully guards her personal story and struggles from the others, despite the incessant pestering from sweet-hearted Alison (Abby Fitz) and instant connection with medical student Amir (breakout star Akshay Kumar).

Within the double-blind trial, neither the participants nor the researcher has knowledge of the subject of the study or the type of drugs they’re being given until the trial is finished. After a shocking discovery by Dr. Burke, the study takes a sharp and life-threatening turn, with a sudden lockdown trapping the group in a hallucination-filled waking nightmare. There were moments during Double Blind that I was caught off guard, as the moment the film starts to feel formulaic, the story veers into unknown territory or satisfies with seeds planted early on sprouting at the perfect time.

The power in Hunt-Duffy’s debut film lies first in the strong screenplay written by Darach McGarrigle, a factor that so often seems to be secondary in certain independent productions. The attention to detail within each scene is the real strength in the film, complemented by fantastic acting and truly stirring imagery. And despite a few moments of questionable CGI, the violence and gore are visceral and positioned at the exact right moments to shock and subvert expectations.

Double Blind is available on VOD from FailSafe Films & Epic Pictures Group.

Film Rating: 💀 💀 💀 💀/5