At a family farm in Texas, estranged siblings Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbott Jr.) return when their father's (Michael Zagst) illness that keeps him bedridden takes a turn for the worse. Their father has been cared for by their mother (Julie Oliver-Touchstone) and a home care nurse (Lynn Andrews). When their mother inexplicably commits suicide within a day after returning home, Louise and Michael are left to care for their ailing father only to find some creeping evil may have been responsible for both their father's illness and mother's suicide.
The Dark and the Wicked is the latest film from The Strangers and The Monster writer/director Bryan Bertino. Similar to Bertino's other works, the movie is a slow burning character piece using familiar horror setups and iconography in a very personal film for Bertino. Written at and staged at Bryan Bertino's family farm residence, the movie deals with the very real fear of losing one's parents as we grow older ourselves and find ourselves isolated and distant with a fear of the inevitable. It's certainly a strong and very human fear, but does it make for a strong film?
The movie is great at establishing a sense of loneliness and isolation as once we arrive at this farm, we seldom, if ever, see outside of it. Pretty much the entire movie is et over the course of a week on this farm with only various characters dropping by for one reason or another. Marin Ireland and Michael Abbott Jr. Are good in their roles as estranged adult siblings Louise and Michael, as is Julie Oliver-Touchstone as their mother who's stricken with grief. These three performances are what the movie is built upon and because of the movie's lack of dialogue relative to other films of this ilk, the character comes through much more from what's unsaid rather than what is. The farm is a nicely realized set piece feeling like a rustic place out of time with the feeling that while the rest of the world moved on this place never followed with it. The rustic isolation helps to sell the film's atmosphere of creeping dread and slow rot and makes the film feel tangible in an unsettling way.
The movie is a slow burn and it does take a while to get going, especially with the first act. The movie also feels like it plays a little bit fast and loose with its logic particularly in the end where it seems like there's a divergence between the themes the film addresses and how they're executed. The movie also at certain points evokes comparison to Bryan Bertino's The Strangers albeit with a supernatural bent. It's not that there aren't effective scenes or moments that stand on their own, but I did find myself comparing moments between films and feeling the first incarnation had more impact.
The Dark and the Wicked is stylish and well-acted, but it's also very slow with not much of a payoff. I did enjoy the performances from the leads and the atmosphere that was created, but as the movie went on I found myself less engaged with not all that much resonating with me beyond the initial setup. I think The Lodge did a lot of the same things The Dark and The Wicked did but with more fine tuning and thematic resonance. I think the film is still worth a look for its performances and craft, but it uses a strong introduction for not much payoff.
The Dark and the Wicked is the latest film from The Strangers and The Monster writer/director Bryan Bertino. Similar to Bertino's other works, the movie is a slow burning character piece using familiar horror setups and iconography in a very personal film for Bertino. Written at and staged at Bryan Bertino's family farm residence, the movie deals with the very real fear of losing one's parents as we grow older ourselves and find ourselves isolated and distant with a fear of the inevitable. It's certainly a strong and very human fear, but does it make for a strong film?
The movie is great at establishing a sense of loneliness and isolation as once we arrive at this farm, we seldom, if ever, see outside of it. Pretty much the entire movie is et over the course of a week on this farm with only various characters dropping by for one reason or another. Marin Ireland and Michael Abbott Jr. Are good in their roles as estranged adult siblings Louise and Michael, as is Julie Oliver-Touchstone as their mother who's stricken with grief. These three performances are what the movie is built upon and because of the movie's lack of dialogue relative to other films of this ilk, the character comes through much more from what's unsaid rather than what is. The farm is a nicely realized set piece feeling like a rustic place out of time with the feeling that while the rest of the world moved on this place never followed with it. The rustic isolation helps to sell the film's atmosphere of creeping dread and slow rot and makes the film feel tangible in an unsettling way.
The movie is a slow burn and it does take a while to get going, especially with the first act. The movie also feels like it plays a little bit fast and loose with its logic particularly in the end where it seems like there's a divergence between the themes the film addresses and how they're executed. The movie also at certain points evokes comparison to Bryan Bertino's The Strangers albeit with a supernatural bent. It's not that there aren't effective scenes or moments that stand on their own, but I did find myself comparing moments between films and feeling the first incarnation had more impact.
The Dark and the Wicked is stylish and well-acted, but it's also very slow with not much of a payoff. I did enjoy the performances from the leads and the atmosphere that was created, but as the movie went on I found myself less engaged with not all that much resonating with me beyond the initial setup. I think The Lodge did a lot of the same things The Dark and The Wicked did but with more fine tuning and thematic resonance. I think the film is still worth a look for its performances and craft, but it uses a strong introduction for not much payoff.