Dead Souls (2012)

Starring: Jesse James, Magda Apanowicz, & Bill Mosely

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Dead Souls is every adopted childs biggest fantasy and worst nightmare roled into one. On his 18th birthday, Johnny Petrie (Jesse James) finds out that he's adopted and there is an inheritance waiting for him. Despite being told not to go back to his home town, Johnny does any way, and learns another secret about his past, one that will put a target on his back. Dead Souls is another film produced for the little known NBC owned cable horror network, Chiller. Because these films are made for TV, they have to be somewhat toned down, something that is always going to hinder a good horror film. For this reason, Chiller films usually come down to two things; the cast and realism. The filmmakers can't use the gore and violence associated with most modern horror films, so it comes right down to how believable or frighting is the story? That brings us to Dead Souls, which has a fairly creepy backstory, that starts out believable, but really stretches near the end. What is enjoyable about this film is that instead of focusing on what it can't do, it works extra hard to be the best at what it can do, meaning get ready to jump, scream, and be on the edge of that seat. As for the cast, Jesse James makes it happen, and no I don't mean that Jesse James. I am referring to the blond haired, blue eyed, twenty-eight year old, who started his career in horror at the age of 9, and like a fine wine, he has only gotten better with age. James has been in some huge Horror films, worked with all the big names, and he was more than over due to star in his own film. Even when this movie starts to fall apart towards the end, Jesse James and his unique style of the cute country boy with the fire inside, is what keeps you watching all the way through to the end. Dead Souls isn't a great film, but it's not a bad one either, and when you compare it to some of the other originals Chiller has put out there, it's a big step in the right direction.