Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Voices’ (2021)

Written by John Edward Betancourt

There are a great many reasons as to why the horror genre continues to captivate us after all these years, so many in fact… that we could likely spend months examining said reasons. But one that tends to stand out about all else, is that this genre is able to evolve with the times, and that is important because it allows for the genre to truly encapsulate the zeitgeist of the era in which it was released. Which helps us to understand what we as a society were genuinely afraid of during that period in history. For example, you can see how our fears were simpler at the start of the 20th Century, since so many scary stories focused upon things that go bump in the night and the various monsters that once populated our collective imagination.
​
Whereas it becomes obvious as you explore later eras of the genre, that science once scared us, since so many horror stories in the 1950s focused upon its unknown potential as it took the center stage in modern society, and of course… civil unrest and fears that society would collapse allowed for all kinds of unique horror stories to take place in the 1970s, since they perfectly reflected the unease of that era as well and those fears just so happened to lay the groundwork for modern horror. Since storytellers came to realize that the ills of a society are motivated by our flaws and our inability to conquer them. Which has now brought forth some genuinely inflective horror stories, the kind that want to understand the root causes of the ills of man. To the point, where even the genesis of fear is being explored by these tales of terror, as evidenced by the newly released horror film, The Voices.

Now in this particular feature, we are introduced to a woman named Lilly who has come quite far in life, despite the hand she’s been dealt. For not only did an accident in her youth, rob her of her mother, but it also took her sight. But with the support of her beloved Aunt Becca, she came to learn how to lead a full and healthy life, one that has brought her a wonderful marriage and a forthcoming child and a career that allows for her to help others with their struggles, as her aunt once did for her. But while it seems as though she has it all and that her life is going to be filled with joy forever, a blast from her past has other plans. For her brush with death as a child, helped her to make contact with the spirit world and after years of silence from said spirits, their voices have returned as they clamor for a chance to use her child as a means to be reborn.

---

Which is a plot that outright sounds as though this is nothing more than a gothic ghost story that does little to explore the nature of fear and what it brings it forth in our life, but the deeper meaning is indeed layered within the framework of the plot and well… what it has to say about the genesis of fear is fascinating for certain. For the film basically points out that the chaos of the world and the cruelty it can exhibit, is more or less the cause of our fears. For we go through a lot of harrowing moments in life, the kind that teach us to be cautious, and we hear about a great deal of evil in the world and all of those things make us worry about our safety and our future. And Lilly's journey in this film perfectly encapsulates all of that and helps for the spooky elements present in this story, to serve as an outright allegory for the fears we all share in, and that does indeed make for a powerful and unique exploration on the matter.

With that being said however, one does need to understand that this particular examination is handled in a far different manner than one might expect. Because this motion picture dives deep into this topic in a supremely slow burning fashion. Which means that this horror flick is light on the gore and even lighter on the jump scares or incredibly intense moments. Something that will undoubtedly turn off some horror enthusiasts that are looking for raw terror to hammer home the film's commentary on fear and well... if you're someone who is indeed looking for that, I implore you to give this one a chance all the way through, regardless. Because this really is an old-school horror film through and through, one that uses classic elements to get its point across and it does indeed have a point in regard to the genesis of fear, since the ending of this movie works to offer up a potential solution to how we overcome mankind's collective addiction to it, as is now tradition in the genre. 

For the film postulates the theory, that the solve to our ills and our fears lies within the journey. Because for every bad moment and terrifying thing we hear about or imagine or experience, there is great beauty to counteract the negativity. As evidenced by how Lilly had her aunt step in when she had no one else, or the fact that Lilly is about to bring a child into the world, and have the family she never enjoyed in her youth. Which serves to teach us, that if we focused upon the good and merely acknowledged the bad as part of life's experiences, we wouldn't be so fearful, since we would be ready to find and embrace the light that comes after the darkness. Which is quite the surprising message to find within a horror film, but it is there, as are plenty of eerie and creepy and gothic moments. So, give this movie a look if you have a little time to spare, simply because you really cannot go wrong with a horror film that works to offer up a solution to a problem/emotion that has plagued mankind since our humble beginnings. 

---