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Cast: Nicholas Wilder, Tristan Risk, D'Angelo Midili, Andrew Sensenig, and Bill Oberst Jr.
A man haunted by the mysterious death of his 4-year-old sister brings her back to life thirty years later as an adult woman, with dire consequences.
'Ayla' tells the story of Elton, a man who has never gotten over the death of his sister when they were both very young. It has been 30 years since she passed and Elton still thinks of her and "sees" here almost every day. To make matters worse Elton suffers from mental illness and he is on a slow decline despite having his family's and girlfriend's support.
And then out of nowhere his deep mourning is able to bring his sister back from the dead. However, she is now a grown woman so what price will he have to pay?
'Ayla' is a Drama, Fantasy, Horror that is heavy on the drama. The film is atmospheric, creepy and engaging right from the start. Everything from the settings, location and the score help in giving the film its over-all mood.
The film is both moody and somber and I mean that as a compliment. Another thing that made the movie so good was its cast. Nicholas Wilder is simply amazing as Elton, he brings so much emotion to his role that you actually feel his pain. Tristan Risk is also a thrill to watch as Ayla, I loved how she was able to bring to life her character. Other stand out performances came from Dee Wallace as the mother and Sarah Schoofs as Elton's girlfriend, Alex.
I am not going to talk about what happens in the film because this is one that needs to be experienced. Credit goes to Writer/Director, Elias for bringing his unique story to life and getting the most out of his talented cast. The film leaves you with more questions than answers but that is why it is so good. It is a well-written, clever and original film that challenges its audience to think for themselves which is rare today.
The film hits VOD on 4/3/18 and I highly recommend checking it out. It is a gem of a film that gets under your skin and inside your head with its tale of the supernatural and its stellar performances.
**** 1/2 Out Of *****