Austin Film Festival Movie Review: ‘The Veil’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Sean O’Bryan and Rebekah Kennedy as Douglas and Hannah in Cameron Beyl’s THE VEIL.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘The Veil’.
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One hard truth about life that no one ever wants to face and/or learn… is that we are going to make a lot of mistakes. And we want to steer clear of that truth, simply because, we are taught… pretty much from the moment we can comprehend… that perfection is what is expected of us. We must be flawless in everything we do, and every decision should be the right one, and we should approach every choice with foresight and calm and well… it simply doesn’t work that way in life, and mistakes will flow. Some will be small, some will be large, but they will happen none the less, and we will also… ponder deeply upon every single one. To the point where the little ones might keep us up at night, and where the big ones… will haunt us.

In fact, some of the biggest mistakes we will ever make will unsettle us and bother us so deeply, that now and again we will hope and pray for a second chance regarding them. Just to have that peace. But alas, the odds of that ever happening are slim to none. For life is a one-shot affair and second chances are as rare as they come, and… there are no guarantees the second chance would go the way we want it to. But of course, there’s no real way to know. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to explore what could happen, through storytelling no less. And it just so happens that a brand-new sci-if/horror flick from writer/director Cameron Beyl, that recently screened at the Austin Film Festival, ponders upon what a second chance for a big mistake in our lives, might actually look like if by chance we were granted one, and that makes The Veil quite the fascinating watch. 

Simply because this story grants a man a second chance for one incredible mistake. For back in 1977, Douglas, a man of the cloth, let fear into his heart one night when a woman found him on the side of the road during an Aurora Borealis storm and begged for his help… only for him to deny her that help. And while Douglas enjoyed an amazing career as a priest and saved lives and helped so many… he regrets that night deeply, especially during the early days of his retirement. For that woman was clearly in trouble on that night and he should have helped and would give anything to go back and fix that and well… another Aurora Borealis storm will grant him his wish. For on the night of this storm, a woman named Hannah appears at his doorstep and she just so happens to be the very woman he denied help to all those years ago. But this time around, he could genuinely help her, provided of course… he doesn’t terrify Hannah into defending herself, courtesy of his incredible eagerness to save her life.

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Which is… the perfect way to explore what a second chance looks like. Because Douglas is indeed granted it in the most epic way imaginable. By standing before the very person, he denied help to, at a moment she is desperately in need. And well, this story informs us… that a second chance may not indeed go the way we expect it to. In large part because… when one spends years pondering deeply upon a grand mistake, one might be filled with nerves and worry, and outright desperation to get things right, and that could lead to awkward moments. Making it clear that, what we have to do when it comes to the mistakes, we’ve made… is accept them, embrace them and learn from them. So that we don’t make them ever again, and of course… this movie also informs us… to follow our gut and take chances now and again… since that will also help to mitigate regret and a need to wish for a second chance. 
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Yet while those points make this motion picture worth our while since those are some powerful lessons to send our way, this story also offers so much more for the audience. After all, there was mention that there are elements of horror to be found here and those are simply amazing to say the least. For much of the movie takes place in the faded light of the colorful skies, and until the central theme presents itself to us, we are clueless as to what is going on. Which leads to some uncomfortable worry, and unnerving moments as Douglas works to figure out what is happening on this strange night Not to mention, there’s a delightful gothic feel to this feature, giving it a hardcore 1970s vibe despite being set mostly in present day. All of which engages the viewer and demands their attention as they work to discover the truth about what is happening on this weird and colorful night. 

But of course, a plot this complex and scares that deeply psychological, don’t work in the slightest without quality acting and thankfully you’ll find that here as well. Since Sean O’Bryan, who plays Douglas, sells the regret of that dark day, and Douglas’ desperation to grab that second chance… with a gravity that feels a little too real at times, and he is wonderfully counterbalanced by Rebekah Kennedy, who plays Hannah. For she does an incredible job of selling the fear and the confusion in this story in a manner that is also believable and moving, thanks to some very real-world elements to her plight, and well, all of these elements combine to bring forth a fascinating sci-fi/horror film. One that toys more with the horrors of the mind really and one that truly reminds us to live in the moment and always make the best choice we can.

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