Director: Lawrie Brewster
Year: 2017
Country: United Kingdom
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Supernatural
Plot:
Taking on a strange case, a psychologist tries to get to the bottom of a strange ballerina’s belief that she’s being targeted by a bizarre figure that haunts her dreams, and when he comes to believe there’s a connection with a former patient of his who disappeared earlier, he tries to save her from the being.
Review:
This was a fairly strong and enjoyable enough take on the genre. Among the most enjoyable factors here is the solid and generally intriguing storyline that provides a fantastic entry point for the madness that comes. The confines of the case seems off from the very beginning, with the woman appearing to him scarred from a strange accident and being virtually identical to a former patient of his, especially when the claims come about featuring a strange owl-headed figure that not only holds plenty of significance to the play the woman was performing in but also related to the strange disappearance earlier sets this in motion rather nicely. It creates a series of off-kilter interactions while trying to visit their remote Gothic mansion, which goes through a series of confrontational conversations and treatments that carry an unnatural air to them that makes everything feel that much more offbeat as it goes along.
That engaging setup provides the kind of setting where the woman’s fears are allowed plenty of room to breathe in a lush, Gothic setting. The idea of the ballerina locking herself away from the world in fear of a strange, mythical figure haunting her makes everything feel that much more haunting, especially when done in conjunction with the different interactions around the house where the caregiver seems to be abusively controlling and sheltering the woman from others trying to help her. These features involving her snapping at him for trying to get too close or misinterpreting everything as sexual advances that earn her spite towards him set up an intriguing atmosphere where nothing is to be trusted, even as he tries to uncover the root of her fears about the strange figure she believes has been haunting her since birth. In conjunction with the stunning use of the lavish, chilling Gothic manor that creeks and groans in the night, which creates the illusion of something supernatural in the house, there’s a fantastic atmosphere that gives this everything a great touch.
It all leads to the fantastic final half, where the whole plot is finally revealed, echoing Gothic horror traditions at its finest. With the continued attempts to get her out of the house proving futile and the distractions about her training proving to be immensely detrimental to the mental health he’s trying to fix, this all comes together in the kind of uplifting vibe that belies the onslaught of visions and dreams he has about the owl-headed figure tormenting her and the former patient of his. The dark reveals at play, involving secret identities, twisted motivations, and full-scale occult leanings, are immensely fun and dark, offering some great attempts at fulfilling a gruesome pact brought about by the presence of a supernatural being at the center of something quite terrifying. This ends up with a slow-burning feeling that might not win over all viewers out there since the only real, genuine action or presence of the creature is in this section in the end, but this still has more to like than otherwise expected.
Overview: ***.5/5
A likable psychological folk-horror effort, there’s a lot to have fun with the film that manages to bring it up alongside a few minor drawbacks which hold it back just slightly at the end. Those with an interest in this approach, who don’t mind the issues here, or who are fans of the creative crew, will have the most to like here, while most others out there might want to heed caution.
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