A couple get much more than they bargained for when they kidnap a pregnant woman to be able to use her unborn child to reincarnate they deceased grandson.
Written by Keith Cooper and directed by Justin G. Dyck, Anything for Jackson is a really interesting take on satanic cults, reincarnations, demons, and everything that comes with those. The film itself is a fun watch due to there being plenty to see and enjoy for those preferring their fun on the dark side. Of course, it plays with a few things familiar things, but overall it all comes together until the ending which, without being spoiled here, just feels off.
The cast here sells the film with the grandparents being the shining star. Sheila McCarthy and Julian Richings are amazing here, with Richings being the top player as he usually is in just about anything. Let’s be honest here, his name on any film makes it a must see. His name on a horror film makes it something that cannot and should not be skipped. His work here is his usual quality, being more than perfect for the part. He’s the kind of actor where the performance from him is never a worry and is always right on point. McCarthy is also on point, leading to the two of them playing off of each other in a way that makes it look like they do this every day and have been doing so for years. Playing the pregnant woman is Konstantina Mantelos who gives it her all and gives the grandparents something to work with that is on an almost even playing field.
Now, there’s something that Anything for Jackson does differently from other films with similar themes and does so well and it’s giving the story and what happens on screen plenty of light! Yes, this film is lit up properly and lets you see everything going on. There is no mystery to speak of on that front, but it also doesn’t mean there is no mystery around that. The story has mystery, but the film has the courage to show its elements and lets the viewer decide for themselves if those are things they wanted to see or if they would have preferred not to. The cinematography by Sasha Moric is perfect for this, sticking to some scenes and showing things as they are, using the t///hat fantastic lighting, and not being afraid to show the horror.
Anything for Jackson is a fun film with a lot of insanity in how certain things go down and it’s entertaining for it. It takes all it has, throws it up in the air, and makes the most of everything. It has some amazing performances that are clearly shown in proper lighting and cinematography, which brings everything to the forefront and allows the film to go for “it”. It’s one of those films that grabs you and doesn’t let go until the ending, which is unfortunately a bit of a letdown. That notwithstanding, it’s a great movie to watch on a dark stormy night or a Saturday morning in PJs.