Head Count is a good little film that just wants to spook you, and that is fine by me. While it’s by no means a new classic – the ending lands as clangy and hollow as many teen horror third acts – it does find some flair in the journey, bringing an engaging “let’s rock out and make a movie in the desert” vibe that’s hard to dislike. 

Elle Callahan’s directorial debut follows 10 college kids who encounter a Creepypasta-era presence in rugged Joshua Tree. This creature that hunts them at their remote rental house is a Hisji, or a shapeshifter, and film’s tensest moments come from trying to suss out who among the group is being impersonated in any given scene.

There’s maybe nothing horror fans love more than jumping into a feature-length game of “I Spy,” and Head Count provides ample opportunity for us to scan the frame with our eyes – desperately seeking ghouls, symbols, and significant numbers. My favorite scenes are the It Follows-esque moments when the camera pans back and forth across a setting, begging you to spot the difference and the telltale moment when the shapeshifter switches between the teenagers. 

On the level of pure tension-building engagement, I have few complaints. This is just the kind of movie I would have been happy to throw on in high school as a sleepover was winding down. However, the emotional and thematic elements feel like they feint this way and that, trying to convince you they’ve got a plan to follow-through on amidst the scares before they give up and get engulfed in the tide of blood rolling in.

The main character, Evan (Isaac Jay), has undergone a recent tragedy in the death of his parents. Yet, unlike modern indie horror gems like The Babadook, It Follows, and A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, Head Count doesn’t quite manage to tie it’s monster to a strong sense of personal journey, despite the potent material. Evan doesn’t know the other teens well at all. He joined the group spontaneously to avoid a potentially heavy vacation spent with his brother, who clearly wants to connect after their shared loss. So, like the shapeshifter, Evan’s an unexpected addition to the party.

At times, it seems like Evan’s connection to the shapeshifter will be emotionally meaningful. Evan is probably struggling with his own identity, as a young person who’s faced something darker than many of his peers. He just wants to hot tub and chill with his new photographer crush, Zoe (Ashleigh Morghan), but there’s a darkness he can’t shake. So, of course, he’s the first one to summon and perceive the monster. Isaac Jay plays Evan’s mounting paranoia effectively, showing how it embarrasses and overwhelms him. It’s too bad his arc winds up feeling half-baked by the end, as the monster’s power over him and the others just doesn’t feel very relevant to what we know of their characters.

On the whole, Elle Callahan and company show off a lively commitment to giving the audience the goods when it comes to foreboding imagery, rugged settings, and spooky set decoration. And the sound design, my god. The slithering, insect-like humming that accompanies the creature is pitch-perfect. It’s the kind of sense of play and interest in wringing each and every department out for what it’s worth that you hope to see in a directorial debut. So while I can’t say it’s a new favorite, it was 90 minutes well-spent in seeing the launch of an energizing new talent in indie horror filmmaking. Recommended for those who love researching ghosts and true crime at 2 am. Maybe put this into rotation on your next witching hour internet dive.

Distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films. 90 minutes. Opening at Arena Cinelounge Sunset this Friday. Now streaming on Youtube Movies and Google Play.