DEAD AWAKE, the latest genre offering from FINAL DESTINATION screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick, is a project we've been following for quite a while. First announced in 2014, the film – which has obviously drawn a great deal of inspiration from A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET – went into production in 2015 and is now finally about to make its way out into the world in less than two weeks.
Starring Jocelin Donahue, Lori Petty, Jesse Bradford, Jesse Borrego, Brea Grant, and James Eckhouse, DEAD AWAKE was directed by Phillip Guzman and tells the following story:
Kate Bowman (Donahue) is a straight-laced social worker who finds herself plunged into a world of supernatural terror while investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Each victim suffered from a chilling condition known as sleep paralysis, a nightmarish assault on the senses that immobilizes its victims as they dream. As a terrifying entity begins to haunt Kate’s friends and loved ones, she must fight to stay awake to stop the nightmare she’s unleashed!
Just ahead of the film's release, we have gotten our hands on a clip that shows the maddening effect the supernatural case of sleep paralysis can have on victims who survive the experience. I can't escape the feeling that this is essentially Reddick's version of an ELM STREET sequel, just without any official connection to the iconic franchise, but that feeling makes me more interested in seeing what the movie is actually like.
DEAD AWAKE will be released in theatres and On Demand on May 12th.