Theatrical Release Date: USA, 2010
Production Company: Troubled Moon Films
Approximate running time: 90 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Language: English

Director: Dave Wascavage
Writer: Dave Wascavage
Cinematographer: Dave Wascavage
Cast: Damien Colletti, Kati Jordan, Matt Simberg, Bill McCue, Todd Stuckley, Steve Kurtz, Art Lyle, Karl Guenther, Dave Wascavage

Synopsis: A psychopath stalks and kills a group of people that are trapped inside of a mental hospital that has collapsed.
 
Malevolent Ascent is the latest feature film from Dave Wascavage (Zombies by Design), a Jack of all trades filmmaker who wears several hats in this production (screenwriter, director, producer, editor, cinematographer, actor and special effects).
 
Content wise this film could be best summed up as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Just when you think that you have an idea where things are going, the plot does a 180. What starts off mundanely enough, quickly turns into one of the more unusual horror films that I have seen in a very long time. And even though this film is not to far removed from your atypical murder by the numbers horror film. The execution of the death scenes and the film’s inability to build tension. Are just a few areas in which this production comes up short.

And yet no area missing the mark more than the performances from the cast, who often come off as wooden. The only performance of any note is Damien Colletti in the role of the psychopath, who is stalking and killing everyone that crosses his path. He gives a genuinely creepy performance that delivers the goods.

Over the years I have seen more than my fare share of micro budgeted feature films and it is inevitable that there are going to be a few areas in which things do not gel. On the flip side there are also a few aspects of every production that do work. This film’s strength’s are its economic direction that takes full advantage of this productions meager resources and creative use of special effects. Overall Malevolent Ascent is uneven production that never fully exploits it’s interesting premise.

You can find more information about Malevolent Ascent here.