Shelby Oaks is one of the year’s most anticipated horrors – but it needs one major change

That any film makes it from an idea to our screens is a miracle, but the story behind how Chris Stuckmann’s Shelby Oaks came to be is truly remarkable.

The film critic, who shares video reviews on his social media platforms and boasts more than two million followers on YouTube, began working on the script in 2016 after sharing a similar sketch.

After meeting producer Aaron Koontz, the duo started a Kickstarter campaign to get the feature film off the ground, attempting to raise $250,000 (£187,540), calling on Stuckmann’s online followers for support.

Surely neither Koontz nor Stuckmann could have predicted the attention the campaign would receive, garnering a whopping $1,390,845 (£1,043,356) and attracting the attention of horror icon Mike Flanagan and production company Neon.

It became the highest-funded horror project on Kickstarter after far surpassing its goal, and a buzz has surrounded Shelby Oaks ever since, with Stuckmann documenting the making of the film on his YouTube channel.

Following its initial festival run in 2024, Neon offered Stuckmann and crew a funding boost to further enhance the film – particularly its gore – with the new and improved Shelby Oaks hitting cinema screens in the UK from October 29.

The genre film begins with one simple question: Who took Riley Brennan?

Shelby Oaks starts off in a found footage mockumentary format detailing the lives and careers of YouTube stars Paranormal Paranoids – Peter (Anthony Baldasare), David (Eric Francis Melaragni), Laura (Caisey Cole), and Riley (Sarah Durn).

Their channel saw the group investigate paranormal phenomena across the US, eventually travelling to the ghost town of Shelby Oaks, where they all disappeared without a trace.

The opening ‘documentary’ focuses on Riley specifically, whose body was never found, with sister Mia (Camille Sullivan) sharing everything about Riley’s troubled childhood, their close friendship as adults, and how her sister’s disappearance affected her.

When a mysterious man arrives at the home of Mia and her husband, Robert (Brendan Sexton III), and takes his own life, the discovery of a mysterious tape he is carrying sends Mia on a quest to find her sister.

From there, it switches from found footage to a conventionally produced, narrative film as Mia witnesses Riley’s real final moments before disappearing and travels to the town of Shelby Oaks for answers.

I managed to catch the film both in 2024 at FrightFest in London, and again more than 12 months later, following the tweaks made to satiate gorehounds itching to see it.

And the changes are minimal, with more graphic shots of the Paranormal Paranoids’ dead bodies and an extra bloody death scene sure to delight horror fans this Halloween.

While it doesn’t change the overall trajectory of the story, it adds a darker edge, and the reshoots allowed Stuckmann to make the film he always wanted, as he told TheWrap.

Stuckmann’s passion for the horror genre is evident from the moment the film begins, wearing its influences from The Blair Witch Project to Lake Mungo and Noroi: The Curse on its sleeve.

The film’s fast-paced, mockumentary beginning imparts the essential backstory viewers need about Riley and Mia’s family, the Paranormal Paranoids, and Shelby Oaks in a way that feels realistic and engrossing in an era where a new true crime documentary seemingly hits streaming platforms every other day.

Stuckmann’s knowledge of influencer culture and the pressures of content creation also pay off in droves when it comes to the Paranormal Paranoids and the reactions they received online, catapulting them to fame and pushing them further into danger.

But the one major change that could have benefited Shelby Oaks when it came to reshoots is sticking within the found footage genre, where the film truly excels.

While the mystery remains twisting and the atmosphere bleak and eerie despite the jarring switch from found footage to conventional narrative feature, Shelby Oaks loses its momentum and scare factor as it goes on, culminating in a lackluster and baffling third act.

The mockumentary style in horror is often criticised for being played out, but with how Stuckmann and co attacked the subgenre and with their unique knowledge, the first act of Shelby Oaks is far more fresh and exciting than the remaining film, which often feels like three separate ideas mashed together.

Despite this, how Shelby Oaks tackles its central themes of loss keeps the narrative ticking, on top of a frighteningly strong performance from leading lady Sullivan in the role of Mia.

The pain she feels over the loss of not only Riley but the trajectory of her own life is more haunting than the sinister forces behind the central mystery, and will remain with viewers far past the credits rolling.

Shelby Oaks suffers from its change in style and never quite hits its stride after, but it’s an impressive feature debut nonetheless, with interesting ideas, thoughtfully crafted cinematography, and exciting performances that cement Stuckmann as one to watch in the future.

Shelby Oaks is released in UK cinemas on October 29

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