A woman unknowingly finds herself the object of a killer’s affections in this thriller from director Mann Robinson.

Irene Ludwick is a young woman who is engaged to Jacob, and yet she has recurring nightmares of an event from ancient times that she hasn’t been able to understand. Jacob blows things off and their relationship is on shaky ground. While on a jog with best friend Tracy, Irene meets a newcomer to town, Augustus Rossi, who owns the antiquities shop in town. He tries to charm her, but Irene makes it clear she has a boyfriend.

However, Irene learns Jacob has been cheating on her and she eventually dumps him. Soon enough, Jacob and his new girlfriend are viciously murdered by a mysterious killer. In charge of the case are detectives Shanel Reid and Dale Dumars, who are investigating the disappearance of a couple who are friends with the mayor. As Irene is questioned for Jacob’s death, a break in the case leads to something very sinister and the detectives realize the connection could lead to Irene becoming the killer’s next victim. They must try to find and stop the killer before it’s too late.

Mann Robinson has done something quite ingenious. He’s taken an iconic Biblical figure in Saint Sebastian and turned the icon into a killer looking for his long-lost love. The opening scene even gives us a chase scene where a woman (the one the detectives must look for) is being chased only to be caught by the killer, who sports a mask that looks quite haunting during a torturous scene with the first victim.

Jamie Bernadette will always be the “strong horror girl”, a final girl who can amp up her skills to survive when it calls for it or the “determined girl” type as seen in the very excellent film The Furnace. It is quite interesting to see her take a different route here. Here, she plays a very troubled woman who is in a very bad relationship with Michael Emery’s Jacob, who you can tell right away, is quite a scumbag. He’s that type of character you are definitely hoping will get his and when it does, rather than be shocked, you would cheer.

Kudos has to go out to Luca Della Valle as Augustus, the charmingly antiquities store owner who upon meeting Irene instantly is attracted to her. And it comes to no surprise that he is exactly who you think he is as he also appears in the nightmare scenes as Sebastian. However, Della Valle does a great job at meshing charm with a very sinister approach when it comes to his victims.

Producers Torrei Hart and Darius McCrary also give their best as detectives Reid and Dumars, who are complete opposites. Reid is by-the-book and tough. She may not always agree with her boss, played in an extended cameo by Clifton Powell, but she will do what she can to get the cases solved. As for Dumars, he comes off as a bit of a sarcastic smartmouth whose antics don’t go well with his boss. However, as the film continues, his smartmouth side starts to fade as he becomes serious about the case.

There are a few kill scenes in the film with most of them being off screen, but the ones we do get to see are quite graphic when it needs to be. There are some shocking twists in the film with an even more surprising finale.

Sebastian isn’t exactly a complete horror film, but is a thriller with horror overtones. Nevertheless, Jamie Bernadette is excellent in the lead role again, going a bit against type while Luca Della Valle shines as the titular killer. Definitely an indie film worth checking out.

WFG RATING: B+

A Mann Robinson/Torrei Hart Productions film. Director: Mann Robinson. Producers: Melissa Llewellyn-Alston, Darius McCrary, Mann Robinson, and Monique Robinson. Writers: Ken King and Mann Robinson. Cinematography: Joshua Ausley. Editing: Ivan Ortega and Mann Robinson.

Cast: Jamie Bernadette, Luca Della Valle, Torrei Hart, Darius McCrary, Tracey Graves, Michael Emery, Clifton Powell, Cocoa Brown, Jermaine Hopkins.