Following up on a class assignment to uncover new evidence for an unsolved crime, Amanda (Jane Bunting and her boyfriend (Josh Shideler) and best friend Shane (Quinn Gasaway) decide to investigate an unsolved campus murder from fifteen years earlier. Despite being discouraged by her father, the school's Dean, Amanda becomes increasingly determined to uncover the truth despite eventually realizing that truth could come at a higher cost than she ever expected. 

Unsolved has as its primary selling point being from the director of the original Children of the Corn, a vastly superior film that proves that McDaniel learned from his mistakes on this film. While Children of the Corn was a stellar example of creepy and effective indie horror, Unsolved is an uneven film that never quite gets on solid footing in any particular genre. Jane Bunting is decent enough as Amanda, but she's given far too little to do and Unsolved is really neither frightening nor particularly involving. 

The film's script is chaotic and disorganized with moments that make you think Unsolved is fully intended as a campy B-movie and other moments that make you feel like this was intended as a taut psychological thriller. 

It's neither. 

Unsolved is the latest release from indie distributor Lost Empire Films, but unless you fancy yourself a fan of McDaniel's whose work you absolutely must see then this film offers nothing unique enough worthy of a purchase unless it ends up in a decent VOD outlet. 

© Written by Richard Propes 
The Independent Critic