Review: ‘The Isolation Horrors’ (2020) Anthology Film

“How are you doing in isolation?” That’s what award-winning film director Nicolai Kornum wants to know, as he guides us down the path to madness that many of us share amidst our planet’s current state of affairs. The Isolation Horrors, which made its online debut April 24, 2020, is a short horror anthology created by five UK-based filmmakers locked down as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The film serves as a great introspection, looking into our current crisis through a fictional lens. Each of the five segments differs in terms of style, with each filmmaker showcasing his or her own unique visual flare. The only guidelines are “stay at home”, “shoot on your phone”, and “make horror movies”. With a runtime of just over 25 minutes, The Isolation Horrors offers plenty of genuinely frightening moments, while also incorporating some sprinkles of humor and splashes of social commentary akin to what one might expect from the likes of George A. Romero and John Carpenter. Structurally, it is similar to The ABCs of Death in that the stories are told in very short and to-the-point vignettes, each of which lasts no longer than several minutes. However, the sequences in The Isolation Horrors are all connected by the single thematic element of “the virus”. Let’s have a look at each segment, beginning with the film’s wraparound story “The Bloody Face Mask”.

“The Bloody Face Mask” (dir. Nicolai Kornum)

Our wraparound opens with a man (Kornum) who leaves his residence during isolation and stumbles across a bloody surgical mask lying in the street. For some reason he decides to pick up the mask and bring it home for inspection. Concerned about who may have been the mask’s owner, Nicolai proceeds to contact some of his friends on Skype to make sure they are OK. From here we get a glimpse into the lives of some of Nicolai’s peers and some of the negative effects of self-isolating. Meanwhile, Nicolai continues to examine the bloody face mask and begins to experience some troubles of his own.

“Goryo” (dir. Emma Dark)

The first call Nicolai makes is to his friend Emma, who is experiencing writer’s block while working on a horror film. “Goryo” is a Japanese-style supernatural chiller surrounding a pop singer whose death is recorded on video and released on the internet. While perusing the web on her laptop, Emma receives an ominous message from an unknown source. Without giving too much away, we can surmise from this story that it is probably best to keep your screen time limited while in quarantine. With “Goryo”, Emma Dark has successfully re-created an atmosphere of dread and foreboding that most can undoubtedly relate to in these troubling times.

“Across the Landing” (dir. Richard Markworth)

The next story begins with Nicolai checking on his friend Richard, who has decided to use his isolation time to record a video diary documenting his experience during the event. Richard seems fairly confident early on, not taking the threat of the virus too seriously. On the first day of isolation at his apartment complex, Richard muses about how he will look back on this time and laugh at how easily he was able to get through it. Jumping ahead to day three, Richard’s jovial spirit begins to diminish as he expresses frustration toward those who choose not to follow stay-at-home orders and instead decide to venture outside. “Across the Landing” illustrates how an extended period of time in seclusion (likely coupled with the onslaught of media hype and scare tactics) can negatively impact human behavior.

“Anomalous” (dir. John Whitaker)

John Whitaker offers up an odd little tale in “Anomalous”, adding an extra layer of surrealism by choosing to shoot the segment in black & white. Despite a plea from his friend Nicolai to not go out, John takes a drive to the local shop to load up on bath tissue. “Anomalous” is nicely shot, utilizing some neat editing tricks and several moments of noir-style hard lighting to tell a story about hoarding, and perhaps to warn us about the existential threat of a global toilet paper shortage. Rich with hyperbole, this is a very accurate depiction of what’s been happening since the early days of the outbreak.

“Ghosting Isolation” (dir. M.W. Daniels)

The final segment of The Isolation Horrors was directed by M.W. Daniels. “Ghosting Isolation” follows a man who begins to question whether he is actually alone in his home, as a strange apparition appears in various forms throughout the house. It is not clear whether the spirit is real, or maybe a manifestation of new personalities emerging on the part of the protagonist (possibly suggested by the use of mirrors). Either way, director M.W. Daniels does a great job creating a feeling of tension that may actually become more common as people spend longer periods of time in self-isolation.

Returning to “The Bloody Face Mask”, we have seen Nicolai Kornum begin to struggle a bit while checking on his neighbors. What’s the deal with the mask anyway, and why was Nicolai compelled to take it back to his apartment? The conclusion of the story delivers an odd twist which may be up for interpretation.

The Isolation Horrors is a timely and relevant horror anthology which taps into a very real fear of the unknown, as the world remains uncertain as to how this whole situation is going to play out. You can watch the entire film below…so enjoy, stay safe, and if you do happen to find a bloody face mask lying about, please don’t touch it…