This unassuming study on mental health may seem like a run-of-the-mill drama. Death’s Sonata, however, features blood, a masked serial killer, and a caped herald of death.
The story of a man suffering from Schizophrenia and the psychotherapist who tries to find him with the help of his young Bi-Polar patient.
Death’s Sonata, IMDB
Following three main characters, psychiatrist Dr. Fredrickson (Morrison James) enlists patient Matthew (Brandon Fox) to find and uncover what has happened to former patient Charles (Douglas Downing III). Charles, sporting a gas mask and carrying an axe, has been behind a string of deaths across town, led to murder by a cloaked being screeching into the void who urges him to kill and kill again. Matthew must accept help from Dr. Fredrickson to help rid himself of his drug addiction as well as emerging psychiatric problems.
Today the trend in horror seems to be all metaphors for mental health — “the monster was inside us all along.” While Death’s Sonata runs those same lines, it does at least try to break it up a little with bits of police procedural and drama devices. In terms of acting, dialog, and camera work, there is some work to be done; nothing is obscenely bad by any means, it’s just not as polished.
What Death’s Sonata does right are two things: story and kills. A sonata is a musical composition, typically for one or two instruments, often featuring multiple movements with contrasting characters. As the title suggests, these characters’ stories are intertwined as they play out. They are all going in different directions yet are all linked through both mental health and death — whether that be death of others (Charles), death of pride (Dr. Fredrickson), or death of oneself (Matthew).
And when Death’s Sonata lulls you into a false sense of safety, Charles comes out with an axe and no sign of mercy. Slicing and dicing his way through the town, Charles is constantly covered in blood. Stabbings, home invasions, and brutal acts are the stars here. We really see what kind of anguish he is in when the Reaper-like entity beckons to him; Downing’s portrayal of someone in the midst of a breakdown (as seen when he hyperventilates into his gas mask) adds an emotional tension to the scene. While Death’s Sonata has its faults, it still has many points that are fun to watch and creates an atmosphere of unease.
Death’s Sonata is currently streaming on Amazon, Tubi, Plex and other streaming platforms. Follow writer/director/actor Douglas Downing III on Instagram.
