Day of the 'Dog: "Population 436"

There is a kind of sad joy in watching bad horror flicks, which - if I had to guess - comes from a desire to mollify the horror by being able to chuckle at the campy effects or guffaw at the poor acting. This is what I expected when I happened upon today's 'dog Population 436.

To my delight, however, it stands out from the typical horror fare right away, with an opening scene full of foreshadowing amid a perfectly timed sequence of events. I have to admit, I've grown partial to Jeremy Sisto after seeing him in horror flick Wrong Turn and Six Feet Under.

Why it deserves 'dog status. Well, it's not a truly terrifying concept nor amazing acting that sets Population apart. It's really the creative movement of the camera to give Sisto's character a constant and tacit feeling of isolation and distance, as well as subtle visual clues and spot-on timing that make this movie unique and worth your time.

Picture The Wicker Man except not sucky. Particularly if you're into mysterious settings with a collective, hidden agenda, his film will have you steeped in the paranoia and asking yourself what you would do in the same situation.

IMDb's 5.9 rating is a little low, in my opinion, but the fact that only 3,600 people have voted speaks to how little play Population has really gotten. So forget seeing the latest horror fiasco at the theaters (they all look good in the previews) and give Population 436 a try.