FilmQuest Review: DECIBEL is a disturbing journey into the dangers of artistic obsession

Decibels is a creepy, slow-burn thriller that draws you in with a fascinating dose of mystery, suspense, and just the right amount of weirdness.

This film takes its time, gradually revealing pieces of the story, constantly leaving you guessing what lies at the heart of the story.

The film is driven by a disturbing sense of unease that builds scene after scene, even as our protagonist, Scout, wonderfully played by Aleyse Shannon, finds herself increasingly trapped in a bizarre and disorienting situation.

Scout, who is a struggling singer-songwriter, is given the opportunity of a lifetime: an invitation to work with Donna, a reclusive but wildly ambitious tech mogul, deeply obsessed with music and frequencies.

Played by Stefanie EstesDonna is eerily composed, like someone who knows much more than she lets on, and her focus on the “perfect AI music algorithm” suggests something darker beneath the surface.

Donna takes Scout to her secluded desert retreat, aptly named Decibel, where her situation turns into a nightmarish experience.

From the beginning, there’s a sense that Scout is in way in over her head. Donna sees potential in Scout’s work but doesn’t reveal her true intentions, creating an atmosphere of mistrust and ambiguity.

Scout doesn’t know why she’s really there, and that feeling of losing touch with reality spills over into the audience’s experience as well. You feel Scout’s disorientation, her excitement, her anxiety.

The cinematography and claustrophobic setting add to this effect, making you feel like there is no escape for Scout.

What really works for Decibel is the story’s use of technology as both a tool and a threat. Scout has access to futuristic, cutting-edge technology to help her create her music.

Donna, who serves as an enigmatic mentor, pushes her to explore the music inside her that she doesn’t even know she has. But as the film progresses, the technological tools begin to seem more and more like traps. Donna draws Scout further and further into a reality where she has less and less control.

He’s whimsical, disturbing and, at times, terrifying as he begins to lose himself in the chaotic pursuit of Donna’s impossible vision.

Director Zac Locke he masterfully amplifies the discomfort, making every scene feel like it’s on the verge of a nightmare.

Scout is eager to see what she’ll discover, but she’s terrified of what it might mean. The story degenerates into something surreal, and when the final pieces fall into place, it’s both a revelation and a descent into madness.

Decibels it’s not just a film about the dangers of technology or the price of ambition. It’s about power, control and the intoxicating allure of the unknown.

If you’re in the mood for a slow-burn thriller that draws you in, keeps you guessing, and leaves you with an unsettling sense of dread, Decibel is worth checking out.