Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

What Keeps You Alive Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 31, 2019

To help explore “What Keeps You Alive,” I have to expose a bit of its plot, which, for some, is situated in spoiler territory. I have no interest in ruining the picture for others, so here’s a mini-review: it’s terrific. It’s a wicked, somewhat surprising chiller from writer/director Colin Minihan, who impressed mightily with “It Stains the Sands Red” a few years back, now newly energized to offer another slice of horror cinema that’s genuinely frightening at times, also doing much with very little money. Minihan’s got a special vision for “What Keep You Alive,” and his execution is confident, perhaps too much so at times. In short, it’s an impressive feature, and one that will likely delight those in the mood for something merciless and feral. If you’re sensitive to story information, this is a good place to stop reading.

Arriving at her family’s lakeside cabin for a long weekend, Jackie (Hannah Emily Anderson) is eager to celebrate her first wedding anniversary with Jules (Brittany Allen). As the pair surveys their surroundings, elements of Jules’s past are revealed for the first time, with secrets exposed by Sarah (Martha MacIsaac), a childhood friend of Jules who now lives across the lake, surprised that the young woman would have interest in returning to the area after experiencing a traumatic incident in the water long ago. Unsettled by revelations that has her questioning if she even knows her beloved wife in full, Jules’s survival skills are put to the test when she suffers a tremendous fall off a cliff. Now broken, bleeding, and close to unconsciousness, Jules makes a mad dash for some type of safety, newly inspired to avoid Jackie, who tried to kill her with a well-timed push.

“What Keeps You Alive” switches gears every 30 minutes. There are three distinct acts in the screenplay, and Minihan doesn’t push too hard on structure, with the first 1/3 of the movie almost purely devoted to setting up the characters, with Jackie and Jules arriving in the middle of nowhere to enjoy each other on the weekend of their anniversary, highlighting their love and devotion on property that Jules has a personal connection to, with many memories from childhood still haunting the area. There’s exploration as well, with the pair walking around the woods and near the lake, getting a feel for isolation, which is briefly broken by the arrival of Sarah, who seems particularly weirded out that Jackie has returned to town, but remains cordial, even inviting the couple to dinner with her husband, Daniel (Joey Klein). “What Keeps You Alive” is basic in design, only managing four personalities, but Minihan’s psychological excavation begins immediately, creating some tension in what’s traditionally the introductory process, finding Jules rattled by her wife’s sudden history with hunting and her recollection of a childhood incident that altered her life forever. There’s also the discovery that Jackie is not even her real name.

“What Keeps You Alive” examines questions of identity and intent, with Minihan investing in exposition from Jackie to set up her strange behavior before the focus of the film switches from disclosure to survival, with Jackie’s sudden act of violence changing the entire DNA of the script, newly focused on Jules and the pure shock she feels as everything she knows is instantly shredded, suddenly designated as the prey in a hunt she’s unable to comprehend at first. She’s battered, bloodied, and trying not to fall unconscious, limping her way to any place of safety as she wraps her head around her new reality. The left turn into betrayal is beautifully done by Minihan, who lures viewers into a sense of confusion concerning Jackie’s behavior before repositioning the movie as marathon of pain, with Jules forced to sew herself up and figure out how to stay alive, all the while working through memories of her loving time with Jackie, grasping the depth of betrayal, which she eventually discovers is part of a frightening routine.

What Keeps You Alive Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.37:1 aspect ratio) presentation definitely delivers detail, offering a sharp view of faces during close-up, with skin particulars ideally defined. Outdoor excursions are dimensional, securing the isolation of the lakeside area and its endless forest. Color is expressive, doing very well with greenery, which looks lush and summery. Interiors sustain the cabin feel, with browns and blacks. Skintones are natural. Delineation has some issues, finding a few evening encounters crushed out. Banding is also a periodic distraction, creeping into view.

What Keeps You Alive Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix does a fine job immersing the listener in the fight for survival. Atmospherics are active, providing a sense of position in the outdoors, finding wind and water contributing to circular movement. Surrounds also explore panning effects with car travel and music, also supplying force with soundtrack selections, giving tunes some low-end heft. Scoring is crisp, moving from delicate piano moods to more pronounced synth rushes during chase sequences. Dialogue exchanges are precise.

What Keeps You Alive Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:18, HD) is included.

What Keeps You Alive Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Minihan tries to make Jackie's mental illness a major portion of "What Keeps You Alive," giving the feature some texture while it assigns villainy. And there's another turn of events at the hour mark to keep the movie interesting, while the whole endeavor is supported by two exceptional performances from Anderson and Allen, who also provides the driving score, giving scenes of investigation and escape a welcome electro pulse. If there's a misstep to be found here, it would be length, as there's not enough incident to support a 95 minute run time. The picture is in need of a small but effective pruning, but Minihan doesn't want to let go of the effort, aiming for prolonged dark poetry during the finale, offering overkill instead of precision. "What Keeps You Alive" runs out of gas, but it's a helluva ride to this point of stoppage, supplying excellent suspense and a decent killer's profile, giving the woodsy wreckage routine a welcome shot of depravity.