Movie Reviews

‘The Dark and the Wicked’ Review – Relentlessly Sinister

Synopsis:

On a secluded farm, a man is slowly dying. Bedridden and fighting through his final breaths, his wife is slowly succumbing to overwhelming grief. To help their mother and say goodbye to their father, siblings Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbott Jr.) return to their family farm. It doesn’t take long for them to see that something’s wrong with mom, though—something more than her heavy sorrow. Gradually, as their own grief mounts, Louise and Michael begin suffering from a darkness similar to their mother’s, marked by waking nightmares and a growing sense that something evil is taking over their family.

There’s not much that most of us wouldn’t do to save or protect our loved ones. We’d fight off a rabid animal, run into a burning building, or take on a gun-wielding assailant. However, what if what they needed saving from something that is supernatural? Your first thought would be to remove them, as well as yourself from the haunted area, but what if they are too sick to move? The Dark and the Wicked drives directly into this situation in a blood-covered hearse. This grim horror film is unsettling and relentlessly sinister. It’s a story that begins dark and descends deeper into a ghastly abyss as it progresses. Providing us with one of the most unrelenting and maleficent supernatural entities, once the terror starts it does not stop. It’s a game of cat and mouse, only that the cat has the mouse on a string and is using it as a yo-yo. An ominous tone fills every turn of the story pairing perfectly with the gloomy and rustic aesthetic. With themes of faith versus nonbelievers and love against evil, it provides the film with depth and hope that struggles to overpower wickedness. The Dark and the Wicked is gory, has chilling imagery, great performances, and satisfies that spooky itch. With its haunting score that cascades through the shadows, great cinematography, and perfect lighting, this film is definitely a must-see for horror fans. I thoroughly enjoyed The Dark and the Wicked. Its rewatchability is high.

Plot & Pace

With their father on his deathbed, siblings, Louise and Michael return to their family farm to say their final goodbyes and help their mother through this difficult transition. However, something doesn’t feel quite right. There’s a looming sense of dread that has engulfed the house and they begin to witness unnatural things happening before their eyes. Things take a turn for the worse when the two find severed fingers and a bloody mess in the kitchen. Now, they must keep their father as safe as possible and try to survive the insidious darkness that plagues their family.

The film has an excellent pace. Right from the start, you can feel the tone of the film and it’s not long before something interesting happens. It builds in a great way that only gets gorier as it progresses.

Characters & Chemistry

Marin Ireland delivers a very grounded performance as Louise; nothing felt cheap or exaggerated. There’s nothing worse than a serious horror film with bad and over the top acting, it ruins the tone and scares of the film. That wasn’t the case in this movie. If the film doesn’t scare you, Ireland’s performance will make you terrified for her. Michael Abbott Jr. as Michael provided a good balance to the film. Their sibling chemistry feels very real and familiar.

The Dark and the Wicked releases in theaters, VOD, and Digital on November 6th. It was also recently playing during the 56th Chicago International Film Festival. Enjoy and stay safe.