Dysfunction runs rampant in director Will Kresch’s tightly woven horror film, Alone Together. Considered a “bottle movie” for its primary use of only one location, Alone Together tells the story of one woman’s attempt to escape the shadow of her trauma–both physical and emotional–and the lengths to which she is willing to go in her fight for survival. Set against the COVID-19 backdrop, one of the scariest parts of the film is having to relive the pandemic all over again.

Have you ever felt alone despite being in a relationship? That is the case with Nassdja (DeAnna S Wright), a woman at her wit’s end who, seemingly going against her intuition, continues to stay in a toxic relationship with her aggressive boyfriend, Luke (played by the director’s brother, Matthew Kresch). As COVID-19 ramps up and forces the couple to shelter in place, they decide to go into lockdown together at Luke’s family’s cabin in the woods. The location is remote and far away from family or friends, and with unreliable wifi, they will essentially be living off the grid. Nassdja convinces herself that this could be their chance at re-connection but immediately upon entering the house, she feels a rush of uneasiness overcome her. Horror sets in when she realizes that they are not alone.

Alone Together drops viewers into brute intensity from the jump, and the heaviness of the film never really lets up. What starts out as reality-based conflicts evolve into intense, psychedelic visions with haunting malevolent spirits, making for a trippy and shocking turn of events. This transition from normalcy to otherworldly catastrophes keeps the audience engaged and guessing at every turn. The film really shines during the dream sequences, which are fantastically executed from all sides. The colors, music, erratic camera angles, and editing all work so well. Alone Together offers Jordan Peele-inspired horror and delivers tenfold on maximizing the gothic, dark undertones.

Co-writer/director Will Kresch set out to make a film that felt unforgiving, and it’s safe to say he succeeded. Kresch summarizes, “I wanted to remind people what it’s like to feel under siege by loss and pain, and be forced to mine their souls to uncover the strength and grit to fight to survive. To hack through all that agony and find yourself standing over the mangled corpse of your malefactors, with a bloodied grin, celebrating that tangy coppery taste on your tongue, because like life itself, I believe movies are best when they are thrill rides that reflect reality in all its pain and exhilaration.”