Experience Claustrophobia on Another Level

Caveat (2020), directed by Damian Mc Carthy, tells the story of two individuals stranded in a dilapidated house on an isolated island. While the film initially progresses at a slow pace, it picks up speed in its final act, leaving the audience questioning the identities, motivations, and methods of the characters.

Nevertheless, the film compensates for its somewhat unfinished storyline by effectively employing the classic haunted house formula. Despite its limited budget, this Irish production successfully cultivates an atmosphere permeated with terror and unease, as both the characters and the viewers feel the walls closing in around them.

What Is Caveat About?

Isaac, a vagabond suffering from amnesia, is offered a peculiar job by his supposed friend Moe Barrett. The task involves keeping his psychologically disturbed niece Olga company for a few days at her remote childhood home. Despite her father's suicide and her mother's mysterious disappearance, Olga insists on staying there. Intrigued by the generous payment, Isaac suspects there is more to the job than meets the eye. Upon reaching the house, he realizes it is situated on a secluded island accessible only by boat. Additionally, due to Olga's paranoid nature and fear of intrusion, Isaac is required to be harnessed and chained to a post in the basement, limiting his movement within certain areas of the house. Despite these unusual circumstances, Isaac agrees to the job and begins to familiarize himself with his new environment. As he explores, he encounters a dog outside the house, also restrained. Olga, who alternates between a catatonic state and wielding a crossbow, explains that her father suffered from extreme claustrophobia and was locked in the harness as a prank by her "mad" mother. Tragically, he ended up taking his own life in the basement due to his crippling fear.

Isaac encounters a series of eerie occurrences, ranging from the eerie echoes of laughter to inexplicable tugging sensations on his chain. As he grapples with these supernatural threats, he endeavors to unravel their meaning and significance.

What Makes Caveat So Terrifying?

Caveat offers a restrained approach to horror, opting for a minimal number of jump scares. Instead, it skillfully builds tension by utilizing unsettling quiet moments and unexplained noises to accompany its disturbing visuals.

The decaying structure emits a dank aroma, its doors mysteriously opening on their own accord. Grotesque portraits adorn the walls, their positions shifting inexplicably. During her fits, Olga assumes a 'see no evil' pose, adding an eerie element to the already unsettling atmosphere. A bunny with glassy eyes suddenly starts drumming furiously, serving as a foreboding warning. However, whether the danger originates from Olga or someone else entirely remains unclear. The dark and narrow passageways, along with the uniformity of the confined rooms, induce a sense of claustrophobia in the viewer. With a lack of contextual information and insufficient explanations, this enigmatic reality becomes even more suffocating.

How Does Caveat End?

When Isaac stumbles upon the decaying body of Olga's mother concealed within a basement wall, Olga discloses that it was her father and Moe who were responsible for the gruesome murder. Furthermore, she unveils a startling revelation that Isaac had previously visited the house approximately a year ago. During that visit, Moe had enlisted Isaac's help to confine his brother in the basement, exploiting his claustrophobia with the intention of driving him to take his own life. To substantiate her claims, Olga presents Isaac with the red jacket he had inadvertently left behind during his last visit. In order to further validate Olga's account, Isaac contacts Moe directly, who corroborates the shocking narrative.

Isaac manages to free himself from his shackles by stealing the key from Olga's mother's neck. In his escape, Olga tries to kill him but becomes catatonic, allowing him to lock her in a harness. Seeking refuge in her bedroom, he is shot in the leg by Olga with a crossbow. As he lies on the floor in pain, his memory returns. He recalls arriving at the house the previous year and attempting to warn Moe's brother by leaving a note. Upon hearing noises from the basement, he opens the locked door and discovers that Moe's brother has already taken his own life. Fleeing in panic, Moe later visits Isaac and pushes him off the balcony after discovering the note, resulting in Isaac's survival but with memory loss.

Isaac discovers a hidden passageway that leads him to the basement, where he is trapped with the dead body. While he tries to break down the wall, Olga unexpectedly appears on the other side, followed by Moe. Moe spots Isaac through the hole in the wall, but before he can react, Olga shoots an arrow at her uncle and locks him in the basement. Moe urges Isaac to come out so they can join forces against Olga, but unbeknownst to Moe, Isaac is preparing to kill him upon emerging. However, Moe hears Isaac's voice through the intercom, informing him that he has already escaped. In a surprising twist, Olga's mother's corpse emerges from the wall instead. The film concludes with Isaac freeing the dog outside, while a chained Olga watches him from the doorway.

The true motive behind the characters' actions in Caveat remains ambiguous throughout the film, leaving the audience to speculate. It is implied that Olga's father may have been burdened by guilt for killing his wife, leading Moe to seek revenge by having him killed. The possibility of Olga or the spirit of her mother locking the door as a form of punishment is also suggested.

Interestingly, the supernatural occurrences in the house do not harm Isaac, even when Olga's mother's corpse is in close proximity. Whether these events are intended to frighten him or guide him towards the truth is uncertain.