User reviews

"Graves End" is one of those movies that takes you by surprise with its clever storyline, intriguing plot devices, excellent acting from the lead stars and strong direction. Director James Marlowe opens up "Graves End" with a creepy virtuoso of newspaper clippings and archaic images that is reminiscent of Kenneth Branagh's "Dead Again" and Guillermo Del Toro's "Mimic." Marlowe's opening credits pulls you into the history of the Graves family and what made them what they are. Clearly Marlowe has done his homework about what makes a thriller work and how to compact plot devices into a limited time frame.

The strength of film is drawn from the three leads: Eric Roberts as Tag, Steven Williams as Rickman and Daniel Roebuck as Sheriff Hooper. The chemistry between them is dynamic and propels the film forward. Sky Soleil is outstanding as a brutal psychopath and he reminds one of Jack Nicholson in "The Shining" with his child-like glee upon slaughtering his victims.

The story revolves around a group of missing felons who have been pushed from city-to-city and town-to-town. However, only the little village of Graves End embraces them. These felons happily seek sanctuary in a small town that appears to accept them and all their flaws into their community. All is well until the felons disappear and that prompts FBI agent Paul Rickman to investigate their vanishings and discover what happened to them.

I've been a fan of Eric Roberts but in "Graves End" Mr. Roberts redeems himself for years of prostituting himself out to some very bad films. I would say this is one of Eric Roberts's best performances as he portrays Tag as smarmy and arrogant while still being vulnerable and conflicted. Daniel Roebuck shines as a clumsy backwater Sheriff in over his head but Roebuck plays his character with so much dignity and resolve that you feel for his plight. However, the man who stole the entire film was Steven Williams. Mr. Williams has always brought a level of authority to every role he's played from Captain Adam Fuller in "21 Jump Street" to the mysterious Mr. X in "The X-Files". In "Graves End", Mr. Williams does not disappoint and continues with a commanding performance along the lines of Morgan Freeman in "Seven" and Denzel Washington in "Man on Fire."

Director Marlowe weaves the film together with a fine tapestry of suspense, humor, drama and action. He seems to utilize gore with a wink toward Peter Jackson's "Dead Alive" and Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" trilogy. It seems as though Marlowe believes the gore and blood is an extension of humor that offsets a scene that is previously gruesome and disturbing. However, where Marlowe really makes his mark as a director and an auteur is how he unfolds events, the characters development, the tempo and atmosphere of the film creates a hypnotic effect that draws you into the film deeper and deeper.

Though the film has many pluses one of the glaring minuses is the supporting cast. Though Edward Perotti is fine as Doc the film is hamstrung by the weak and unconvincing performance of Anthony Santucci as Tedesco. Santucci is listed as one of the four writers and must have written himself into the movie as his acting is amateurish and stiff. Thankfully Mr. Santucci's role is small and he doesn't get in the way of spoiling the film.

These thrillers are often conceived in such a way with clues that deceive. Consequently, with this in mind I carefully explore the motives of each character. I regret to say that I was tricked into coming to a wrong conclusion about the perpetrator of the crimes.

I rented "Graves End" at my local video store in Berlin. The cover art to the DVD is rubbish but I rented the movie on the basis it won so many awards. After seeing the film I can see why because it's so damn good. I would rate this film a 9 out of 10 for its combination of humor, drama, suspense and action that is crafted into a first rate psychological thriller.

I went to the video store on a Saturday and had a choice between Graves End and Nightmare Man, so I asked the video store clerk which one he would recommend, he said Nightmare Man sucked in general and Graves End was pathetic plainly put, and considering that my options were limited I asked him which one was the worst and he said Nightmare Man, so I left Nightmare Man and took Graves End. and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

The film was actually quite good, I was expecting another cheap slasher flick but was treated to a great storyline with a few excellent plot twists and the performances by Eric Roberts, Steven Williams and Daniel Roebuck were dead on, the movie generated a lot of suspense mixed with a small dose of horror, so despite the video store clerk's opinion I enjoyed it fully, so I would recommend you check it out for yourself.

8 out of 10

I read a few user comments about "Graves End" and was intrigued. When I read about Daniel Roebuck in the Pantagraph, I decided, what the hey, I'll go watch that movie. I was really surprised to see a lot of the cast at our local movie theater. It was so cool! Daniel Roebuck, Steven Williams and Fairly Tull were really the nicest people. The director, James Marlowe was hilarious and the producers were equally fun. I thought, wow, they sure are cool people, I hope they made a decent film. I can tell you this, "Graves End" was not only decent, it was EXCELLENT!!! The movie gets you going from the very beginning and the humor is terrific. There are a lot of twists and turns but that's half the fun. Eric Roberts is a fabulous actor but Steven Williams really steals the show. Okay, it's no big Hollywood blockbuster but it has something I haven't seen lately and that's a PLOT! When the movie ended there was a thunderous applause and the cast did a great Q&A with the audience. What a terrific time I had! I wished I'd gone with some friends! Now I want it to come out in movie theaters and tell my buddies I was there first. Go see "Graves End" and have a good time. DD in Bloomington, IL

Friends saw this movie at the Chicago Horror Film Festival in April 2005 and urged me to go see it when it showed on the west coast. I saw the film at the Santa Cruz Film Festival in early May 2005 and enjoyed it so much that I went to the second showing the next day along with a number of friends. This horror/thriller has unexpected twists and turns in the plot, and I had not guessed "who done it". This campy movie was sometimes scary,sometimes comical, and always entertaining. GO SEE IT! Eric Roberts and FBI Agent Steven Williams gave outstanding performances as did Sheriff Dan Roebuck. I also enjoyed most of the other characters, especially Maudy - very colorful, especially with the flower in her hair. I hope they do a sequel and in the meantime I'll await the DVD of this one. The movie was filmed in Santa Cruz they say -great setting! Loved the place it was filmed, especially the Great Hall with all the trophy's. Definitely a must see film!

I enjoyed the movie enormously. The plot was very interesting, and the acting was excellent--especially Dan Roebuck and my wife, Fairly Tull. Stephen Williams was wonderful in his role as well. The movie was a bit gory (but not overdone), and very suspenseful with delightful twists and a large dose of humor. The cinematography and sound were superb, as were the authentic locations and sets used. I was also impressed with the performances of the background actors who were all very much into their scenes. They gave their very best, which is a testament to the director's talent and his sincere interest in the wellbeing of his entire cast and crew. I saw the film twice and can recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspense thrillers done in a skillful, campy, funny, and scary manner.

I have rarely enjoyed independent films, but I had a feeling about this one, that it was different, and liking Eric Roberts, and having seen several of other actors on TV, especially Valerie Akita on jenny Jones, and the series 21 jump street, etc. I decided to take a chance. the film was as good as if it were produced by warner brothers or any other large movie company. there was never a dull moment. the acting was superb, the actors definitely believable, and I never figured out who the real bad guy was. it is boring when you can figure it out. I saw it at the 3 penny cinema on the north side of Chicago, and would like very much to get a copy on a DVD or video if it ever comes out. I would definitely see it again it if shows in a neighborhood near me. To tell you the truth, I don't remember when I have enjoyed a movie more, not lately. carol Ann gager

Honestly, I wasn't sure that I would care for this movie based on some of the negative reviews. Lo and behold I enjoyed it! After seeing it the first time I showed it to a few friends and they loved it, too! This is a little film that makes no apologies for what it is. This movie is like the little Train that could; it grows on people who've seen it and it's entertainment value is better than most.

The idea is original and the execution is great for the obvious limited budget. I'm on the side of those who support this movie! I gave it a 10 because I can watch this many times in a row and love EVERY moment of it! That doesn't happen for me with very many movies; generally there are spots that lag for me or just don't seem right. This one pleases me, from opening to end credits. Those people who wrote negative things about this movie are obviously haters because I did not see the same movie they did. What were they expecting? "Life of PI"? This isn't a big time drama. It's more along the lines of a David Lynch or Quentin Tarantino movie but with more laughs.

Clearly this film is meant to be fun, funny, humorous, tongue-in-cheek, suspenseful, and action packed at the right times. If you are looking for something deep like "The Butler", you shouldn't be watching any movie like this anyway. It's clearly simple, fun, entertainment and that's what I'm looking for.

For my money, this one is a winner from top to bottom.

I bought the DVD after reading the reviews and I was not disappointed. One of the best thrillers I've ever seen. Great acting and superb screenplay. I recommended it to family and friends and they were all pleasantly surprised. A must see!

The story focuses on a small town and its mysteries. Love, betrayal and grief are the center of the movie. The location and musics are spot on especially considering the low budget of the movie. The ending was very emotional and leaves you with a lot of thoughts.

The movie is not available on streaming platforms but it is definitely worth it to buy the DVD.

The lead characters in Graves End kept me interested from start to finish. What really drives the movie is the emotional resonance and murder mystery of the plot. Sure the concept is wild but it's all presented so that you really believe it could happen. I doubt anyone will find fault with this movie unless they went in trying to dislike it

Eric Roberts shows of his facial expression once again in this mystery thriller with a serious made for TV-feel to it. So you have the standard peaceful town with a dark secret, and it's up to an FBI-agent not unlike Fred Williamson to figure things out and solve a murder or whatever. The first half of this movie is pretty bad actually, mainly because of the embarrassing attempts at sharp, witty dialogue. What the hell is up with that Maudy character? I just want to kick her in one of her chins every time she opens her mouth. And is there anyone is the world that still addresses people by "doll face"? And let's not get into the supposedly brilliant repartee between the good and the bad guys. Dear God, Steven Seagal gets cooler lines than those. Even considering the quality of the material, the actors are all pretty bad(except maybe for Steven Williams). They get to do a lot of narrating and monologues but they barely have enough skill to make me last more than two lines. I just don't get the feeling they're saying something that's interesting in any way. The worst situations though are when the wife tries to emote, despite the fact that she looks like a retired porno star. The movie can grab itself together just enough to have an entertaining second half, with all kinds of fairly clever plot twists, and the ending is pretty hysterical too. So plotwise I'm okay with it. But that first hour, dear God.

Troubled, brooding characters, and anger rule the day in most of these suspense thrillers. Here, Graves End's creators mix everything so well. It leans away from dark but touches on it just enough. Maybe it's the character or maybe it's because they had Eric Roberts and Steven Williams performance which lead to more clever banter and genuinely real dialogue than most movies have.

The movie gets just about everything right but maybe its number one strength is the casting of its leads Eric Roberts,Steven Williams and Daniel Roebuck. The interaction and the relationships all work well and is even one of the highlights of the entire movie itself. I liked this better than the A-list Robert DeNiro/Al Pacino "Righteous Kill" which was righteously terrible.

There were a few negative reviews about this movie so I didn't have any lofty expectations. This one has rich characters, it perfectly blends humour, drama, action, mystery, suspense and it has heart, all of which are presented on screen in a wonderful way that keeps the viewer staring at the screen right till the end.

Eric Roberts as Tarkington Alexander Graves has it all rich, handsome and incredibly wealthy. Everything is perfect until a tragedy hits his life and the residents of Graves End. Mr. Roberts pulled off a good performance but the true star here is Steven Williams who was seamless. Very entertaining movie sure to please any film buff.

Graves End hits a high standard of excellence for mass audiences by combining humor, a smart plot, breathtaking action sequences, a heavy dose of self discovery and realization, betrayal, forgiveness, love and puts it all together in one amazing package. Well, I was just very pleased.

Who are these people talking dirt about this movie? I think some people talk smack just for the hell of it. I found the leads in the film terrific, the story on par and even better than the big budget films and was paced extremely well. This has to be one of Eric Roberts best films and performances. Steven Williams is fantastic and Daniel Roebuck as the Sheriff is a real winner.

Graves End is a well-made, tightly-constructed movie and strikes a solid balance between character and story. Steven Williams and Eric Roberts are a big part of the film's success, no doubt, due to their commanding presence. However, credit should go to director James Marlowe and the writers for managing to deliver a movie that's a hell of a lot of fun, while pulse pounding and thrilling.

Living locally and finally getting to see this title years later makes this a nice time capsule piece for the San Lorenzo Valley. Content-wise this is a standard B-movie suspense thriller with some slight horror thrown in to add some depth. Eric Roberts, Daniel Roebuck and Mr. X (X-Files fame) give some decent performances in this story of an FBI agent tracking down some "missing" felons in the small rural town of Graves End. Through the course of several plot twists and murders we discover who the bad guys really are and who the saviors become.

Regarding the filming locations that come across on screen clearly: the Mountain Store, Bear Creek Rd, River Rd (Brookdale), Blake Hammond Manor, Boulder Creek Fire Station, Boulder Creek downtown, Big Basin area, and the Boy Scout Camp (Bear Creek Rd).

The catch is this film is only available on Region 2 DVD right now. The American distributor would not even give me a date for our region. Probably not worth the cost to get it shipped to you from the EU unless you live here in Santa Cruz County (CA).

Graves End is that rarest of movie experiences; a psychological thriller actioner that actually delivers solid characters that give it real heart (and not a bunch of blank-slate 20 year-olds staring at green-screen effects from any you-name-it big budget sci-fi movie). Steven Williams steals this movie and makes it a treat to watch.

I thought this movie would be another trashy B movie loaded up with nudity and no plot. I was treated to an entertaining film with a good plot and great leads who make Graves End a terrific watch. The movie itself moved at a very good pace. Mixing action, comedy and some drama to just about the right proportions

A movie that shines. Most films try to cope with wild concepts by emphasizing darkness, even over-emphasizing it. That is not the case here as the film is handled quite deftly by the Director, Writers and lead actors who did a marvelous job of crafting a first rate thriller that shines.

Eric Roberts performance as Tag is a power-house and one of his best, doing much with the smart dialogue while making the emotional side of the character wholly believable. Steven Williams has a meaty role as the FBI Agent on the prowl for answers and Daniel Roebuck is surprisingly very good in an against-type role.