Beyond the Gates
Two estranged brothers reunite at their missing father's video store to liquidate the property and sell off his assets. As they dig through the store, they find a VCR board game titled 'Beyond the Gates' that holds a connection to their father's disappearance and deadly consequences for anyone who plays it.
Why it matters
A retro horror puzzle box that fuses 1980s nostalgia with supernatural dread in a blood-soaked video store setting.
- Practical effects by Steve Kostanski and the KNB crew deliver gooey, inventive creature work that honors genre traditions.
- Perfect for fans of ’80s VHS culture and occult game horrors like *Jumanji* meets *Hellraiser*.
- The brooding atmosphere and synth-heavy score tap into the era’s analog unease with a modern polish.
- Narrative pacing falters, but the mood and set pieces offer enough cult appeal to forgive some storytelling clumsiness.
Director
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
43
Slow Burn
17
Psychological
100
Supernatural
80
Creature
18
Disturbing
33
Fun Factor
67
Cerebral
28
Survival
50
