Shelby Oaks Review: This Found-Footage Horror Is Haunted by Tired Tropes

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The appeal of online investigations comes from the thrill of the hunt. Whether it’s true crime, paranormal activity, or exploring haunted locations, people enjoy looking into mysteries that official investigations often miss. This is why found footage movies have always been popular – they make viewers feel like they’re discovering unexplained evidence themselves.

The new movie, a follow-up to the popular YouTube series “Paranormal Paranoids,” feels hesitant about what it’s trying to do and how it’s doing it. It starts strong with a genuinely creepy opening, but after that, writer-director Chris Stuckmann switches from the found footage style to a more traditional thriller format—a choice that unfortunately leads the film into predictable and tired horror clichés.

You’ll Find Nothing But Boredom In Shelby Oaks’ Footage

This film is one of the least engaging horror releases from Neon. The director’s first feature unfortunately misses the point of what makes the horror genre compelling. It’s strange and disappointing that the movie begins as a seemingly realistic, found-footage horror, only to switch to a much more typical and unremarkable style. Even the initial found-footage scenes aren’t very believable or well-made, and the acting throughout the film is poor.

The show’s initial idea was promising. It centers on Riley Brennan, a unique artist who became the public face of ‘The Paranoids’ – a group of four amateur ghost hunters. They managed to gain attention – and even some respect – for a field that was once largely dismissed online. However, their fame skyrocketed when all four members vanished twelve years ago. Now, some people believe it’s a publicity stunt, while others are urging the authorities to investigate their disappearance.

The investigation has largely stalled, but Riley’s sister, Mia (played by Camille Sullivan), is now featured in a true-crime documentary. During a filmed interview in her home, a disheveled man (Charlie Talbert) arrives with a tape marked “Shelby Oaks.” He cryptically tells Mia, “She’s finally let me go,” and immediately shoots himself, leaving Mia with no time to understand his words. The scene then transitions to the show’s opening credits.

The town’s name comes from a forgotten place in Ohio, once home to both a fun amusement park and a maximum-security prison. Riley’s team was investigating this town when they disappeared. The video, which Mia strangely keeps from the police, shows the group exploring before everyone except Riley is brutally killed.

Many bad horror movies rely on characters making silly choices, but it’s particularly frustrating when someone refuses to ask for help – especially when there are plenty of people around who could assist. It feels especially unbelievable when that person then chooses to go off alone at night to investigate a known haunted location, like an abandoned prison. The movie attempts to explain these decisions (through the character Mia), but the reasoning feels forced and doesn’t quite add up.

Let me tell you, watching “Shelby Oaks” felt like an eternity. It’s not scary, just…slow. And it hits every single cliché in the paranormal horror book – jarring music, cheap jump scares, the seemingly sweet old lady with a dark side, mysterious symbols, dusty research…you name it. Honestly, it’s a masterclass in how not to make a horror film. Keith David is in it, looking suitably weathered, but even he can’t save this parade of tired tropes, each one executed worse than the last. It’s just…bad.

While the film eventually reveals some unsettling truths, getting there is a slog. It’s filled with uninspired moments and stiff performances. The main character spends most of the movie seemingly struggling to breathe, an attempt to show how frightening the cold is when evil is present. It made me wonder if people actually left the town of Shelby Oaks not because it was haunted, but simply because it was incredibly boring.

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2025-10-24 17:20