‘Shelby Oaks’ Blu-ray Review
Stars: Camille Sullivan, Brendan Sexton III, Michael Beach, Joe Quinn, Mason Heidger, Sarah Durn | Written by Chris Stuckmann, Sam Liz | Directed by Chris Stuckmann
Shelby Oaks arrives riding a wave of internet anticipation—the kind you’d normally reserve for a long-lost horror classic, not the debut feature from Chris Stuckmann, YouTube’s most famously conflict-averse critic turned filmmaker. For years he’s been touted as the reviewer destined to prove critics can actually make movies. A massive Kickstarter later and a spit-shine from Neon, his first feature finally lands.
The verdict? Well, it’s not the cinematic apocalypse some corners hoped for… but it’s also not the genre revolution the hype machine was selling. Instead, Shelby Oaks settles into a cosy middle ground: a solid, atmospheric horror film that never quite kicks open the door it spends two hours knocking on.
The plot follows a woman searching for her missing sister, a former paranormal YouTuber who vanished years earlier. When new footage surfaces, she embarks on an investigation involving spooky childhood memories, mysterious cult hints, and a demon who apparently has more free time than any YouTuber with a real upload schedule. Stuckmann sprinkles in online-culture flavouring—just enough to remind us he came from YouTube, not enough to actually do anything inventive with it. Think less Host or Lake Mungo and more “Yes, YouTube exists, thanks for asking.”
Where the film actually succeeds is with its lead actor, who turns in a grounded, emotional performance while the script occasionally behaves like it’s trying to prank her. She brings sincerity even as the story asks her to make decisions that would get most real people removed from the Missing Persons case “for their own safety.” Evidence she absolutely should take to the police? Nah. Sudden leap to “demonic possession” with zero real proof? Sure, why not. Wandering off alone at night into spooky locations because the plot needs a shove? Tradition, baby.
And here’s the delicious irony: Stuckmann, the guy who spent a decade calling out horror clichés, gleefully sprints into every single one. Jump scares arrive with the punctuality of a Direct Debit. Twists land exactly when you expect them. The ending—one of those “frustrating on purpose” numbers—waves at you from three scenes away. Even the title, Shelby Oaks, has all the punch of a mid-tier CW teen drama. If you saw it on a shelf with no context, you’d assume it was a coming-of-age film about volleyball tryouts.
To be fair, Stuckmann can direct. The film looks sleek, well-composed, and considerably more expensive than its Kickstarter origins suggest. When he leans into atmosphere over exposition, the movie actually delivers some proper chills.
Ultimately, Shelby Oaks is a competent and occasionally compelling debut… that plays things far safer than anyone expected. It’s watchable, sure, and even impressive in places. But for a filmmaker who built a career dissecting horror’s guts, the final product feels surprisingly risk-free.
*** 3/5
Shelby Oaks is set for a DVD and Blu-ray release on December 15th, courtesy of Altitude Film Distribution.
