I Still See You (2018)

Directed by: Scott Speer | 95 minutes | fantasy, thriller | Actors: Bella Thorne, Richard Harmon, Dermot Mulroney, Amy Price-Francis, Shaun Benson, Louis Herthum, Thomas Elms, Sara Thompson, David Lawrence Brown, Hugh Dillon, Stephanie Moroz, Micah Kennedy, Marina Stephenson Kerr, Cassandra Potenza, Danika Frederick , Arden Alfonso

After the immense success of ‘Twilight’, the term ‘young adult’ has become fully established in Hollywood. This rating for movies for teens attracts a target audience that many studio bosses see in it. This demographic can ‘grow’ with a series and thus be tied to a series for years. In addition, the formula is also interesting for an audience that likes exciting films, but does not like gross violence. So PG 13 and that is the largest target group among the American cinema audience. ‘I Still See You’ is a ‘young adult’ movie. That can be a recommendation or a turn-off for a reader…

Ten years ago, an apocalyptic disaster left the world infested with ghosts. Veronica Calder (Bella Thorne) receives a message that may be related to these supernatural phenomena. With help from her mysterious classmate Kirk, she descends into the shadow world where the lines between the living and the dead are blurred. A battle against time to track down a cunning killer has begun.

‘I Still See You’ falls into the trap of many ‘young adult’ films: it is a soft film that opts for an exciting approach. In this case ghosts. Ghosts are terrifying apparitions, but in this film the villains turn out to be rather toothless figures. The threat level is nil. ‘Twilight’ had iconic vampires and werewolves trotted out as pitiful souls. There was no threat in those films. By targeting young adults and teenagers, violence and threats are kept to a minimum. It shouldn’t be too scary, right? ‘I Still See You’ feels like a compromise: like a thriller light. It doesn’t give you nightmares or shivers, but it isn’t exciting or exciting either.

The acting is okay, the soundtrack is quite good and the cinematography is decent. However, this film lacks a heart. It’s too safe and too meaningless. So quickly forgotten.