Across the River

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Gabriel S Across the River is a slow-burn film—like burning incense. It’s a ritual few practice, but when they do, they’re drawn in by the sweet, mysterious aroma that lingers in the air. Over time, that sweetness thickens, becomes syrupy, and only those who appreciate a good dose of ethereal melancholy will allow themselves to be carried all the way to the glowing tip. The story follows ethologist Marco Contrada as he studies wildlife in a remote area near the Slovenian border. Everything seems quiet and uneventful until Marco stumbles upon an abandoned village hiding secrets as deeply buried as the place itself. Lorenzo Bianchini is underground stuff, and this is the first time I’ve seen one of his works. According to IMDb, he has few directing credits; his standout seems to be Occhi—a quick search shows that Occhi follows a similar directorial style to Across the River, revealing Bianchini’s fondness for subjectivity and atmosphere. The plot unfolds with a focus on mood and setting. Dialogue is sparse, and even the actions are slow and subdued. Marco Contrada is determined, but we sense that this may lead to his downfall. Across the River delivers atmospheric horror that suffocates through its slow descent into the inevitable, its attention to detail, and shots that linger just long enough to make us uncomfortable. I’d be surprised if Bianchini didn’t have The Blair Witch Project (1999) in mind while directing Across the River—the similarities are striking. But it’s a film for the few, just like the reference above. By the time we reach Act III and things take a more frantic turn, the film is already in its final stretch. A more critical eye reveals issues in the script, like the absence of a final revelation or mystery, and a complete lack of character development. Across the River feels like a Lovecraftian tale stripped of its cosmic element, left only with the macabre details—a grim account of the dark events that befell Marco Contrada. As much as I enjoyed this film, I know I wouldn’t recommend it to most people I know. But for those select few, I understand their eccentricities. Across the River is a film solely for horror aficionados—nothing more, nothing less. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/19/25 Full Review kate t Not worth your time. You keep hope something is going to happen and nothing ever does... well a few things happen but you never understand what they are. A tiny bit of suspense. I never could understand why the search party never called out into to the woods to see if the missing could hear them. Union pay rules? Even upon coming to the abandoned village where there were obvious signs he had been there; and entering the buildings, they never called out for him. Makes no sense as did most of it. Where did his camper go, too? Camper heaven? Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Slow, psychological scare. Some elements left to be desired, but it's immersive. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member effective slow burn chiller. 7/10 Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Not perfect...like every single supernatural horror movie ever, the scares tend to diminish in effectiveness as the film reaches its conclusion. But the fact that said finale still manages to be as shocking/creepy/gory/violent/unsettling as it is is just a testament to the fact that this is, no contest, one of the scariest films I've ever seen. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Across the River

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