Shelby Oaks (2024) – Started Strong, Then Turned Into Just Another Horror Movie

Shelby Oaks (2024), the directorial debut of Chris Stuckmann, grabbed me right from the start. Four paranormal investigators vanish without a trace? Found-footage clips, old TV news reports, creepy internet forums—man, I was hooked. I even paused halfway to Google if this was based on a real story (it’s not). But once the actual horror kicked in, my excitement slowly faded. The mystery was great… the horror part? Meh. Solid 6/10—one-time watchable and entertaining enough, but nothing I’ll ever think about again.

Starring Camille Sullivan as the obsessed sister searching for Mia (Sarah Durn), this 91-minute supernatural horror-mystery mixes found footage, mockumentary, and classic demonic possession stuff.

The Plot: Great Setup, Familiar Payoff

Mia and her paranormal crew disappear while investigating the abandoned town of Shelby Oaks and its urban legend—the “Oaks Haunt.” Twelve years later, her sister is still hunting for answers, digging through old tapes, interviewing people, and slowly uncovering something evil that never let Mia go.

First half is pure mystery dopamine: creepy VHS tapes, police interviews, YouTube-style videos, conspiracy forums. Looks and feels so real I genuinely thought it might be based on true events. Second half? Standard possession horror: long dark hallways, waiting for jump scares, whispering demons, people floating, the usual checklist.

What I Really Liked

• The found-footage/mockumentary style is done really well. Super convincing “real” news clips and old recordings.
• First 45 minutes are legit gripping. The mystery of “what happened to these four people” had me leaning forward.
• Low budget ($1–1.4M) but looks way more expensive. Made $6 million, so huge win for an indie debut.

What Let Me Down

• Second half drags with long, quiet scenes just to set up cheap jump scares.
• Story ends up being super familiar: demonic entity, possession, cursed location, blah blah. We’ve seen it a hundred times.
• Once the supernatural stuff takes over, the clever mystery vibe completely disappears.

Ratings and Critical Reception

• IMDb: 5.4/10 (7,800 votes)
• Rotten Tomatoes: 55 % critics (122 reviews) / 54 % audience
• Box office: $6 million on tiny budget → massive success

Critics and viewers are split exactly like I am: everyone loves the setup and style, most get bored when it turns into regular horror.

Final Verdict: Good First Half, Forgettable Second Half

At 6/10, Shelby Oaks is perfect for a late-night watch when you want something creepy that feels “real” at the beginning. Just don’t expect the mystery to stay mysterious all the way. One-time watch, decent scares, cool style, but nothing groundbreaking.

Still impressed it made money and got people talking on social media. Chris Stuckmann did alright for his first movie.

What did you think of Shelby Oaks? Did the found-footage vibe trick you too, or did the second half lose you as well? Drop your thoughts below!

And suggest my next watch—I’m clearly craving more mystery that actually stays mysterious the whole time.

If this review saved you 90 minutes (or convinced you to watch the first half and bail), hit like, follow, share. See you in the next one!