The title of this movie could stop one word shy. Of course, I had been warned. Don’t Look Away is a low-budget horror film. A low budget in and of itself doesn’t make a movie bad. Poor writing, poor acting, and poor directing do, however. Since I’m learning to appreciate bad movies, this was an obvious candidate to watch because it was a freebie. So, a group of college-age friends fall afoul of a supernatural mannequin that kills. Its origin is never really explained, except a vague reference to “the Devil.” It is being hauled by long-distance freight so that its handler can bury it, rending it harmless. But truck-jackers in New Jersey try to rob the truck and release the dummy. It is seen by Frankie and begins following her, killing many of the people it encounters. No reason is given—it just does.
Frankie’s boyfriend, Steve, is a rather clueless, and completely insufferable, grad student. Her more reasonable friends realize that the menace is real, but the police don’t believe in killer mannequins. After a considerable amount of time they realize that the mannequin can’t disappear if someone is looking at it. They decide to stare at it until they can figure out how to dispose of it. They need to prevent other people from seeing it, otherwise they will become its victims as well. It’s all a rather silly premise. Finally the handler shows up in New Jersey. Since he’s blind he can’t see the mannequin but he figures if he kills the surviving friends, the menace will be stopped. Frankie discovers that it’s almost impossible to hide or defend yourself against a blind man.
As far as the horror element goes, it really isn’t scary. The face on the mannequin is decidedly creepy, but since no explanation is given of how it kills, there is no focus for any fears. Yes, looking out your window at night and seeing a mannequin standing on your lawn would be frightening. There’s so much not to like about this movie. The pacing, the slipshod story, the soundtrack by one artist who is likely a friend of the director. I’m glad to have seen it although Don’t Look Away isn’t one of those movies that’s so bad that it’s good. When I next meet with the friend who recommended it, we can compare notes. It gives you something to talk about. If you do decide to look, you have been warned.
