Shelby Oaks Movie Review – Chills Early, Fumbles the Finale

Last Updated on October 27, 2025 by Movie Revew TV

Director: Chris Stuckmann

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Release Date: October 24, 2025

Production Country: United States

That First Act Tension and Dread, Then the Midpoint Fade-Out

A nameless dread often feels worse, a subtle discomfort lurking just beyond where you look – like echoes within faded family photos, grainy films, or the hiss from an aging videotape. Chris Stuckmann’s debut film, Shelby Oaks, aims for precisely this unsettling territory. It feels right, genuinely good, for a stretch. However, things unravel, much like a dream dissolving at its clearest moment.

Story & Setting

Right from the start, something feels off. A team – the Paranormal Paranoids, they call themselves – vanished mid-investigation in some forgotten corner of Ohio, documenting ghostly activity for their YouTube channel. All that remains is a camera, alongside an unsettling sense of fear. Riley Brennan vanished, yet her sibling, Mia – portrayed by Camille Sullivan – relentlessly pursues answers over many years. The story unfolds much like a classic scare: shaky recordings interwoven with deep sorrow alongside youthful fears which may be more than memories.

Initially, it really pulls you in. The rough recordings, the unsteady chats – they give this sense something real will surface. Then comes a stunning reveal around the midpoint, flinging Mia’s quest into chaos. The movie worked when it felt raw, like something discovered. However, the moment it embraced gloss – became too clean – it lost its spark. It went from gripping to simply going through the motions; what mattered became process rather than feeling.

The tale aims to explore memory, its truthfulness alongside our necessary illusions. Though brimming with potent concepts, the narrative unfortunately loses focus as it progresses.

Performances

Camille Sullivan is this story’s pulse. She plays Mia – a tangle of defiance alongside sorrow, worn down yet resolute. It’s a performance brimming with both weariness and a quiet strength you genuinely sense. Brendan Sexton III, as Robert, brings a lovely mix of comfort yet unease to his role. While others do fine, Sullivan truly elevates the film – she’s why you should see it.

Direction & Cinematography

Stuckmann really gets the feel of those old video recordings – they look, well, real. It’s like breathing in years of settled grit. But when the movie shifts to computer effects? That chilling sensation just vanishes. The images become sterile, lacking surprise. A former sense of mystery dissolves into something artificial.

Themes & Symbolism

Shelby Oaks explores how childhood tales can unexpectedly resurface, shaping our present. Is the figure of Tarion truly a beast, or something that represents deeper ideas? The dread felt ancestral, a nameless weight she couldn’t discard. For Mia, locating her sibling wasn’t simply a search; instead, it was a stubborn clinging to faith.

Music & Atmosphere

It plays well, occasionally striking a chord, yet what truly resonates is how it sounds. Subtle drones, distant chatter, a barely audible shift – these elements give the film life.

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Final Verdict

Rating: 3/5

A heartbeat begins Shelby Oaks. Immediately, things feel pointed, unsettling – a show brimming with potential. Sullivan acts with grit, staying real, while Stuckmann demonstrates a talent for atmosphere. The tale falters as it favors order over enigma, dimming its eerie pulse. Nevertheless, it remains watchable – particularly if you relish a spooky vibe – though some threads will dangle unresolved.