In the Tall Grass on Netflix review: Movie fails to keep audiences engaged

In the Tall Grass is immediately chilling and intriguing, but takes too many turns than audiences care to keep up with and completely loses its viewers long before it’s over.

Netflix has unleashed another horror-thriller this Halloween season, In the Tall Grass, a film adaptation of Stephen King and Joe Hill’s novel. I was pretty excited about this one and watched it the night it premiered on the streaming giant.

Gerald’s Game, also from King, is one of my favorite horror movies on Netflix, so I couldn’t wait to see another installment based on King’s work.

Unfortunately, despite Patrick Wilson’s best efforts, the movie falls flat and loses the interest of viewers about midday through. If you haven’t seen the movie, please note there are no spoilers ahead! This is a safe review.

In the Tall Grass follows siblings Becky (Laysla De Oliveira) and Cal (Avery Whitted) traveling to San Diego who stop for a quick break next to a large field with enormous grass covering the ground as far as the eye can see. When they hear a young boy (Tobin, portrayed by Will Buie Jr.) cry for help from within the grass claiming he is lost, they decide to go in to help him. Tobin isn’t alone in the grass, though, so are his parents and Travis (Harrison Gilbertson), Becky’s ex-boyfriend.

It doesn’t take long at all before Becky and Cal realize there is something off about the field and nothing makes sense. Regrettably, not much makes sense to viewers, either. And, unlike most mysteries, we’re not very interested in getting to the bottom of this case.

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Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring franchise) is no stranger to the horror genre, I’d even argue he is one of the best in the game. His performance is extremely creepy and powerful in this movie. In fact, all of his scenes are the best things In the Tall Grass has to offer. It’s too bad there’s not much Wilson can do to help with the story. Also, this isn’t to say the rest of the cast isn’t great, they truly are. But, again, it’s the story that fails these actors and their talent. It simply wasn’t executed properly.

Just like how Gretchen Wieners’ (Mean Girls) hair is so big because it’s full of secrets, the tall grass has many secrets its hiding from its many victims. However, unlike Gretchen, the grass isn’t nearly as interesting for viewers to care about. Midday through the movie, we’re just wishing the movie would hurry and wrap up — and it’s only a 90-minute long movie!

Don’t take my word for it, though! If you’d like to get lost in In the Tall Grass (literally and figuratively), be my guest! The movie is now streaming on Netflix.

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In the Tall Grass on Netflix takes more twists and turns than audiences care to follow

By Sandy C. | Oct 5, 2019

In the Tall Grass is immediately chilling and intriguing, but takes too many turns than audiences care to keep up with and completely loses its viewers long before it’s over.