As many who spent their youths crossing between Virginia and North Carolina did, I’ve heard of the Lost Colony of Roanoke and the legend of “Croatoan.” The Town That Takes gives this legend new light when disappearances start happening in a small town, forcing a father to do the unthinkable to keep his son safe.
After his son vanishes in a remote town, a desperate father and two detectives must uncover the terrifying legend of CROATOAN before another child is taken.
The Town That Takes, IMDB
Dean (Britt Bankhead), Army veteran and divorced, drives with his son Wyatt (Nico Tirozzi) through rural North Carolina in an attempt to reconnect after the death of Wyatt’s mom (and Dean’s ex-wife). Things aren’t going smoothly, and as Dean and Wyatt are at odds, deaths occur throughout the town, putting Dean right in the crosshairs of the local police. While some cops seem empathetic to the pair, others give off a more sinister vibe, and soon the town is overcome with bloodshed and a centuries-old curse that threatens Wyatt’s life directly.
The Town That Takes is a suspenseful thriller in every sense of the genre. The surrounding mystery of the murders tied in with police interrogations and folky rituals gives this film an edge that swings it right into horror territory. But it’s not all just police procedurals and whodunits; The Town That Takes ramps up the scare factor with kills that aren’t grotesque, yet make the viewer gasp in awe.
Now any time there are child killings involved, it’s automatically gut-wrenching. With The Town That Takes, that concept is brought up to a whole new level by making the killings part of a supernatural conspiracy the townsfolk are dragged into. You never know who is working with or against you until it’s too late, and there are plenty of near misses throughout this film. The start of the movie gives us just a bite of what horrors lie ahead, but the ending is where shit hits the fan and the full scope of the danger is realized in a flurry of gunfire and blood sacrifice — all by candlelight.
While I appreciated the inclusion of an American legend I have come to know and love, I do wish it was a little more tied to the movie, rather than being a backdrop for mystery. That said, The Town That Takes is a solid mystery to behold and watch play out. Taking place in darkness and surrounded by not-so-savory characters, you’re brought in to the action and given the chance to solve the Croatoan curse and reunite a father and son, so long as the town doesn’t take you down with it.
The Town That Takes is now playing in select theaters. Follow along on Instagram and web for more.
