Mikes Film Talk

The 2018 horror film What Keeps You Alive is frustrating. You may find yourself screaming at the screen, ‘Hurry up already!” A villain that makes one wonder how her wife fell for her and a victim that is stupidly placid. A tale that hinges on a retelling of Bluebeard’s Wife, this is too weird and lethargic to really work well.

What Keeps You Alive Story

Jackie and Jules go to a mountain retreat to celebrate their one year anniversary. Jackie has a surprise for her wife of one year and it’s not a good one.

The Cast

Hannah Emily Anderson is Jackie.

Brittany Allen is Jules.

Martha MacIsaac is Sarah.

Joey Klein is Daniel.

Charlotte Lindsay Marron is Young Jackie.

Let’s Talk What Keeps You Alive

Writer/Director Colin Minihan has a pretty good track record. Grave Encounters, It Stains the Sand Red for example, work. Albeit not perfectly. This rehash of Bluebeard, with Jackie as the multi married baddie, just slightly misses the mark. It is annoyingly slow in its delivery and we do not like anyone in the film.

Jackie, who is the personification of an unhinged murderer, is the Alpha female here. She apparently cannot wait to kill off her bride of one year. Jules, is the opposite of her overbearing spouse. She is timid and uncertain of herself and her abilities.

To be fair, it is hard to connect with any of the characters on offer here. Daniel, Sarah’s other half comes across as odd and differential. Sarah herself is also a bit of a wet end. We do not warm to them, ergo when they are removed from the tale, we feel no real remorse.

We feel pretty much the same about Jackie and Jules. They are practically devoid of any personality. While we root for Jules, she is at least the more normal of the two, she lacks focus.

Tropes

There are a few tropes on hand here. The old cutting of a person’s throat equals instant death is one. Jackie’s dialogue about the “antique” rifle is another.

It Works in Places

Jackie rehearsing her 9-1-1 call is good. Jules’ dream works well also. The music, Beethoven is always a great background for any psychological mood piece, is spot on.

The Verdict

What Keeps You Alive earns a shaky 3.5 stars. It could have been so much better if the character’s had been likable. The setting, the story itself and the almost one-way battle between the two women are all okay. However, there is nothing to really get excited about either. The film is streaming on AMC+ right now.

The Trailer