Surrounded by grass, with no way to turn, too tall to see over and too vast to be heard in. The new smash-hit Netflix movie “In the Tall Grass” is based on a novella by Stephen King and Joe Hill, where a brother and sister, driving through rural Kansas, pull to the side of the road because they hear a little boy’s cries for help. The siblings enter a field of tall grass with intent to help the boy, only to realize shortly after that there may not be a way out. 

As someone who is easily scared, but fascinated by horror, this was one of the greatest- if not the best- horror movies on Netflix in 2019. It is classified as a drama/thriller, but could almost be considered more of a psychological horror film. The genres are mixed together in a way that showcases the intricacy of horror and will make the viewer wary when driving by a field afterward.

The plot is full of twists and turns and will keep viewers interested in the story the whole way through, as well as long after. The story is followable, albeit elaborate, and will suck the audience into “The Tall Grass,” themselves. The movie, much like a puzzle, requires that the audience pay attention throughout the entirety in order to be able to connect the past to the present and all the in-betweens. The satisfaction received from finding out the ending is worth the minor confusion that may push some viewers away.

The characters seem to be the archetypal horror film characters, naive and trusting, who will go towards the scary noise or into the dark basement. The sister, for example, fits the bill of the “last girl” with her nice nature and willingness to help. The characters are different though, in that they learn and adapt to their environment along with the audience. The immersive nature of the movie is intense; as the characters get lost and disoriented within the wall of grass surrounding them, the audience feels it too. The shock value is high and it really draws the viewer in. It melds the genres to appeal to a variety of movie-goers and explores cinematic possibilities to create an immersive horror experience.