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Burning Bright (2010) Review

Burning Bright is a 2010 American thriller film directed by Carlos Brooks and starring Briana Evigan, Garret Dillahunt, and Charlie Tahan. The film was released on September 10, 2010, by IFC Films.

The film centers on a young woman, Kayla (Briana Evigan), who is left alone in a house with a tiger during a hurricane.

Burning Bright is a suspenseful and heart-pounding thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Briana Evigan gives an outstanding performance as Kayla, a girl who is forced to face her fears head-on when she’s left alone in a house with a tiger during a hurricane. The film also features strong performances from Garret Dillahunt and Charlie Tahan. Burning Bright is a must-see for fans of suspenseful thrillers.

Burning Bright centres around a young woman named Kelly Taylor and her autistic little brother Tom. They’ve become trapped in their home with a wild and ravenous tiger during a hurricane. What develops over the course of the movie is a game of survival as the two try to evade the tiger and find a way out. Course that’s easier said than done.

Burning Bright is a superb example of how claustrophobic horror should be made. It’s incredibly unnerving in parts, delivering solid suspense from the beginning to the end. The acting quality is superb, Briana Evigan who plays Kelly Taylor is really the one who keeps the movies tension alive. It’s through her performance that all the thrills n spills are handed out to the audience and believe me when i tell ya, there are moments when you’ll be looking away from the screen. Charlie Tahan plays her little brother Tom and delivers a brilliant portrayal of a young autistic child caught in a rather hellish situation. All round the acting quality is more than good and the cast definitely get a thumbs up for their performances. Oh, be sure to look out for Meat Loaf at the beginning of the movie, he plays the guy selling the Tiger to the stepfather, although weirdly he’s uncredited.

As i said before Burning Bright is incredibly unnerving, it’ll have yer stomach turning inside out! As far as scares go this is one of the best flicks I’ve seen in a while. If only half the mutant/monster movies we review were this good our lives would be much happier, although i dare say we’d have to contend with more gray hair. Ultimately for scares I’m giving Burning Bright a strong thumbs up.

Gore wise things are quite light. Even though the tiger does get it’s teeth into a couple of folks you never really get to see much and even if you do there’s very little to see. Gore isn’t what this movie is about really. It’s a nerve jangler plain and simple.

So, Burning Bright gets a full recommendation for it’s immensely tense atmosphere and suspense. It’s probably the best animal terror flick you’ll see in a while so best grab this one. You’ll be missing out if you don’t.

Synopsis

When her mother dies unexpectedly, Shannon Miller (Briana Evigan) is left to care for her autistic brother, John (Charlie Tahan). Shannon is determined to keep John safe and happy, but as he gets older and stronger, it becomes more and more difficult. When their father (Tom Sizemore) is released from prison, Shannon is relieved to have some help, but she soon realizes that he is only interested in using John’s disability to make money.

Desperate, Shannon turns to her neighbor, Jake (Sean Faris), for help. Jake is a former Marine who is struggling to adjust to civilian life. He is immediately drawn to Shannon and John, and he agrees to help them. Together, they come up with a plan to get John out of their father’s control and into a safe and loving home.

Burning Bright is a heartwarming and suspenseful story about the power of love and family. It is a story of hope, courage, and determination.

Movie Details

Director: Carlos Brooks
Writers: Christine Coyle Johnson, Julie Prendiville Roux, David W. Higgins
Actors: Meat Loaf, Garret Dillahunt, Peggy Sheffield, Tom Nowicki
Release Year: 2010