Sketch

Sketch
Starring Tony Hale, Bianca Belle, Kue Lawrence, Kalon Cox
Directed by Seth Worley

Angel studios is the Christian-based production company that is best known for releasing films like "The Shift" and the multi-million dollar successful "Sound of Freedom," and focuses its films on Christ-centered teachings. So when "Sketch" was released during a Mystery Movie Monday, I was expecting it to be a children-friendly film about sketches that come to life and are combated by the love of Jesus or something - but thankfully that's not what we got. Instead, we got a hilarious, family-friendly horror film that centered on deep themes that children would have problems understanding and ones that parents would be able to talk to their children about afterward.

After the tragic loss of their mother, 10-year-old Amber Wyatt (Bianca Belle) and her slightly older brother Jack (Kue Lawrence) are grieving in different ways. Jack is caring more for other people and suppressing his own emotions, much like his father Taylor (Tony Hale), while Amber is drawing angry pictures that showcases mythical creatures killing, annoying, and hurting other people, especially Bowman (Kalon Cox), a young bully who picks on Amber on the bus. While Taylor is worried, Amber's teacher encourages her to keep drawing to deal with her grief.

One night Jack discovers a lake in the backyard that fixes things that are broken, including a plate that smashed and his cell phone he dropped, so he decides it could also fix his mother. So he brings her ashes to the lake with Amber secretly following behind, only to have her drop her sketch book in the water. Soon her creatures come to life and ravage the town, and the kids - along with Bowman - must come together to stop her drawings before they take over the entire town.

"Sketch" is a film I had no intentions of seeing, and if it wasn't for the Mystery Movie I might not have - and that would've been a shame. While it's not perfect, it's extremely enjoyable, and a great gateway horror movie that kids and adults can enjoy (that's not saying there's not some truly terrifying moments, as even I was surprised by how dark the movie went in a few scenes, wondering how it got a PG rating in the first place). It's a whimsical, wondrous tale that allows the three young leads to shine, and also give an important life lesson on dealing with grief and not allowing it to fester inside you.

Bianca Belle plays Amber, the young girl whose sketches come to life, and at first you think she's the main problem in the movie. Sure, if you had a girl like Amber in your kids' school you'd be worried, but ultimately she does what she needs to in order to cope with her mother's death. She draws the most terrifying, but also oddly cute, creatures that come to life in the ways they're drawn (be it chalk, crayon or marker) and run amock throughout the town. She feels the responsibility, but Belle also exudes a youthful innocence that's infectious and surprisingly deep for such a young up-and-coming actress to convey.

Likewise, fellow youth actors Kue Lawrence and Kalon Cox are given great moments to shine. Lawrence's Jack isn't dealing with his mother's death well (going so far as to bring her ashes to the lake to bring her back to life, which if done you know wouldn't go over well) as he spends his time worrying and helping others instead of helping himself, and tries to rally everyone together against the creatures. Kalon Cox is the standout though as Bowman, Amber's not-so-much bully who is befriended by the siblings once the creatures come to life and target him almost specifically. The three actors blend innocence and strength in equal measure, and left me laughing out loud more than I was expecting (I was expecting none, and I got much more). 

Tony Hale serves as the male lead, Taylor, who is also not dealing with his wife's death well (in fact, he's removed all her pictures from the home, and hardly mentions her). He goes through his own transformation as he searches for his children and combats the creatures alongside his sister Liz (played with delightful aplomb by D'Arcy Carden), and gives a very heartfelt performance. 

All of this is interesting because it's Angel Studios, and it seems to be their biggest risk yet - there's no mention of God, a surprising amount of low-rated cuss words, and a fantastical feel that's reminiscent moreso of pagan stores rather than Biblical narratives - and that's where this movie differentiates itself from the others: it was acquired by Angel Studios, not produced strictly through them.

The movie does a great job at circumventing its low budget with its special effects, as the creatures are creations of Amber's young mind, so of course they wouldn't come off as seamless CGI wonders. It adds to the charm, seeing countless red spider-like creatures with one eye, or a cat with Lovecraftian addendums or the movie's big bad - a dark version of Amber. It provides an enjoyable adventure filled with humor, heart, and an important life lesson about dealing with grief and combating your inner dark demons.

The Score: B+