It's a generally enjoyable Halloween movie, but it lacks substance. On Halloween night in 1989, a group of teenagers in southwest Pennsylvania mistakenly enter a restricted barn, releasing three frightening entities: a miner apparition, a pumpkin figure, and a scarecrow. "The Barn" (2016) was created with only an $80,000 budget and represents a long-held ambition for producer/writer/director Justin M. Seaman. I’ve watched numerous films by independent filmmakers working in their home regions, and you have to prepare yourself for potential shortcomings—like awkward performances, poor audio quality, questionable editing choices, cheap-looking effects, and unconvincing action. Considering the financial constraints, this film does reasonably well in those areas, with ‘B’ movie icon Linnea Quigley making a cameo appearance for a single day of filming. The movie has vibrant visuals and an excellent soundtrack by unknown musicians. The main performers maintain a fairly serious demeanor while some of the supporting actors provide comedic relief, such as Sam's dad. The film falters in its script. It doesn’t offer much beyond the basic premise, which led me to lose interest in the story and characters during the latter portion. Another independent production, “Angel” (2018), also suffered from stiff acting and weak action sequences, but it at least had a compelling narrative—along with impressive cinematography and locations—making it worthwhile despite being less technically accomplished than "The Barn," which effectively creates a fun Halloween atmosphere. Lexi Dripps (as Michelle) and Nikki Howell (as Nikki) are adequate in their roles, though the characters could have been developed further. A body double was used for the latter actress’s short nude scene from the chest up. The film's running time is 1 hour and 28 minutes, and it was filmed in various locations throughout southwest Pennsylvania, including West Alexander (the primary setting), Claysville (street scenes), Washington (roller rink) and Emsworth (Dr. Rock sequence). GRADE: C+

Source on TMDB