Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
What Keeps You Alive is a lesbian horror/thriller about a married couple, Jackie (Hannah Emily Anderson) and Jules (Brittany Allen), who take a vacation in a remote cabin in the woods. Once they get there, Jules discovers that her wife is trying to kill her.
Jackie and Jules have been married for a year. They take a vacation to the house where Jackie grew up, which is on a lake in in the middle of the woods. When they get there, an old friend of Jackie’s who lives on the far side of the lake drops by. She says that she was surprised to see lights on in Jackie’s family cabin and decided to check on things. She calls Jackie by another name, Megan, which surprises Jules.
When Jules asks Jackie about changing her name, Jackie says she wanted to strip away the past when she moved out of town and started a new life as an out lesbian. But soon Jules learns more about Jackie and her past, which Jackie explains away when confronted. It isn’t until Jackie attempts to murder Jules that the truth begins to come to light.
Some Thoughts:
What Keeps You Alive is a fun story with some thrilling moments that will make you yell at the screen. The acting is serviceable and it’s visually appealing. The pacing also works very well.
Sara’s house, which is across the lake, is far enough to keep the setting remote, but close enough to be plausible that Sara (Martha MacIsaac) could see them.
Although Jules appears fit, it’s a stretch that she could row across the lake without being completely wiped out. She is tired when she gets out of the rowboat to visit with Sara and her husband, Daniel (Joey Klein), then rows back. However, she would be achy after such a workout, but she’s not. I was invested enough to let it go.
The first time Jackie tries to kill Jules is so outrageous that I didn’t care how unbelievable the outcome was. I can’t mention anything more without giving it away, but this was the point where I was sold.
What ruins the film is that is has two endings. There comes a point in What Keeps You Alive when it feels like the movie is over and you’re waiting for the credits to run, but the story continues. It’s a shame because I was so satisfied with what I thought was the end, so the second ending was confusing. And what happens in the second ending is unbelievable and disappointing.
The Final Verdict:
What Keeps You Alive is a fun horror film that is ruined by the addition of a second ending.
