‘She Will’ Review – Dripping In Haunting Beauty and Dancing On A Razor’s Edge

Directed By: Charlotte Colbert

Starring: Alice Krige, Malcolm McDowell, Olwen Fouere, Kota Eberhardt

Plot Summary: An aging film star named Veronica joins a group retreat in a Scotland while recovering from surgery. She is joined by her nurse Desi (Kota Eberhardt) who is tasked with looking after her needs. Meanwhile, Veronica is also forced to confront her past in the form of a remake of a famous film she made with a director named Hathbourne (Malcolm McDowell). We learn some very bad things happened whilst making the original project. To make matters worse, mysterious forces of revenge emerge from the land where witches were burned.

The film opens with our star (in every sense of the word), Veronica (Alice Krige), putting on makeup in a mirror. The voiceover narration talks about each mask meaning something different and used for different occasions. “This mask is about preservation,” she says, and we get a feeling like she is putting on this makeup to go to battle. I think this is a perfect way to introduce us to not only this movie and its themes but also to Veronica and her inner workings. Thus begins the Dario Argento-produced She Will, which, if there is any justice, will usher in the brilliant career of Charlotte Colbert.

I love how in recent media we are getting some very interesting re-contextualized films about witches as an allegory for the harsh treatment and marginalization of women, or just the complex nature of women in general. Recently, we had the excellent Hellbender, which really puts a fresh spin on the witch-horror subgenre. With the recent news of Roe v. Wade, a movie like She Will seems even more harrowing and urgent. The net result is a film that both breaks your heart at what Veronica has to go through but also makes you angry that a broken unfair system allows people like Hathbourne to thrive. Yes, #MeToo was a great and long overdue reckoning, but there is still so much more work to be done. Using a dark fairytale-like framework, Colbert’s film is a creepy, atmospheric film, certainly, but it’s also a call to arms. It’s this beautiful vengeful energy that propels boldly forward.

The movie is of two minds, telling the story of an actress whose glory has faded. She is also recovering from surgery and, still nursing old wounds inflicted on her as a young girl. Then, you have the supernatural elements that bleed through in a way that feels organic both narratively and tonally. Not many filmmakers could make such different plot lines come together so seamlessly, but Colbert does it with the ease of an old pro. This is even more incredible when you take a second to meditate on the fact that this is her first feature film. She Will also looks fantastic, and what Colbert is able to pull off on a modest budget is truly black magic. The horror is effective in how it subtly gets under your skin in a way that is thoughtful and not shocking for shock-value’s sake. This movie is also all killer and no filler with a nice pace.

Visually, the movie is awash with dim lighting and dreary atmosphere which further elevate material that is already rich in text and subtext. Seriously, I cannot stress just how depressing yet gorgeous this movie is. Every dime is up on the screen and not wasted. I also would be remiss if I didn’t also address this movie’s amazing soundtrack. The score by Clint Mansell, who has provided scores for such films as Black Swan and Moon, and more recently James Gunn’s Peacemaker series.

Alice Krige is a damned legend, and I am always in utter awe of how she can completely transform herself on screen. Unlike her recent film Gretel and Hansel, she doesn’t don any old crone makeup, yet she carries the internal scars in a way that only a seasoned classically trained actor could. As always, Malcolm McDowell is equally as good and just plays the worst kind of predator. Newcomer Kota Eberhardt also shines among some very talented people and proves she very much can hold her own.

The melancholy that haunts every inch of this film is akin to a Shirley Jackson in the best possible way. I love how this movie is very much a creepy, effective horror film but also has a lot to say in a very meaningful way. Dripping in haunting beauty and dancing on a razors edge, She Will is a classic of the genre.

She Will is currently playing in select theaters and is available On Demand.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gh3tVvJdgnk]