Claustrophobia, the fear of small spaces, is used in many movies to give the audience a sense of unease. “Alien” (1979) demonstrates claustrophobia by forcing the hunted crew members to survive while being inside a small ship. “The Descent” (2005) also demonstrates claustrophobia by making characters run from monsters in a cave. Similarly, “Kill Bill: Volume 2” (2004) demonstrates claustrophobia when the main character is buried alive and must punch her way out. I think you get the point.

However, no movie expresses this fear quite like Damian McCarthy’s 2020 film “Caveat.” This film was, by far, the most unsettling thing I’ve watched this year. As an avid fan of horror movies, I would say “Caveat” succeeded in using and executing the most common elements of horror: disturbing imagery, unsettling music, interesting characters and a suspenseful plot.

The story centers around Isaac, a lonely Irishman who suffers from dementia. Strapped for cash, Isaac takes a job caring for a friend’s niece, who has recently lost her mother and father. The loss of her parents pushed the niece to the brink of insanity, which is why Isaac needs to look after and care for her.

There is a catch to this job, though. During his time in the cabin, Isaac is required to wear a heavy leather harness with a chain attached, connecting him to the basement. This is to ensure that Isaac does not enter or exit certain rooms. The harness is used throughout the movie to help express/reinforce the central themes of entrapment and helplessness.

All in all, Damian McCarthy’s “Caveat” is nothing short of a psychological thriller. It expresses the horrors of claustrophobia through uncomfortable imagery, as well as by using centered cinematography to emphasize the main characters’ lack of escape. Although the story is a little shoddy, with random plot holes scattered throughout the film, it is still a good movie. The most impressive fact about the film is that, regardless of having an extremely low budget of 300k, it had spectacular cinematography and visual effects.