It almost seems so very unlikely that a film could be made about a shower curtain, but writer/director Jaron Henrie-McCrea has pulled out all of the stops with his showdown between a girl, a bathroom and a shower curtain.

Ex-nurse Danni has finally moved out of her Uncle’s apartment and reclaimed her independence after a long stint at home. By day she keeps a low profile by working as a whale activist with her colleague Tim, a passionate whale enthusiast. While moving in Danni discovers that her new shower curtain has disappeared after hanging it up. She’s convinced that someone has entered her flat, but pushes her doubts aside by purchasing a new one. But then curtain vanishes again, and three shower curtains later, along with a handy video recording, Danni is shocked to see just what has been made of her curtains.

Whale lover Tim is ecstatic when he watches the video and is keen to solve the mystery of the disappearing curtain convinced that they’ve discovered a portal to a parallel dimension. The two set off on a mission to find where the curtain has been transported and in doing so meet some undesirable characters along the way.

Curtain is an admirable concept which uses an unassuming everyday object to champion a grotesque horror film. The link between a curtain and an unknown world with unredeeming consequences (if the rules of curtain hanging aren’t obeyed) is plausible beyond expectation. What is vague however are some of the inexplicable characters and their link between the curtain, the alternate universe or just simply whether they’re good or bad. But this doesn’t matter too much because Curtain is an enjoyable movie.

It’s a cross between what you’d expect if Lena Dunham were to make a horror movie, a neo mumblecore flick with a dash of New York hipster, heavily influenced by movies from the 80s. Although the dialogue is naturalistic and well-crafted, character deliverance can be clichéd, but nostalgic all the same. The 80’s theme continues through a melodic soundtrack, if you were a fan of Fright Night or Gremlins these cutesy synths will strike a chord.

Curtain mirrors an anthology film with a similar narrative structure to stories you’ve see on Tales from the Darkside or The Twilight Zone. It fuses science fiction, the supernatural and most importantly monsters. It is a creature feature, teasing the audience from the start to finish. Creature design is impressionable with enough visceral slither and unsavoury anatomy to keep you interested.

This is a tight and fun horror that makes a lasting impression, even if it draws upon the past for credibility and homage. It just goes to show how a small team and a decent script make independent cinema shine brighter than their blockbuster counterparts.