The Dark And The Wicked
Ratings: 4.1/5
Duration: 1hr 35 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror
Director: Bryan Bertino
Writer: Bryan Bertino
Producer: Bryan Bertino, Adrienne Biddle, Carissa Buffel, Milan Chakraborty, Bruce Cummings, Brian Dalton, Thomas Giamboi, Sonny Mallhi, Kevin Matusow, Steven Chester Prince, Mike Scannell
Music: Tom Schraeder
Cinematography: Tristan Nyby
Editing: William Boodell, Zachary Weintraub
Art Direction: Ashley Landavazo
Release Date: 6 November 2020
Released In: Theatres
Star Cast: Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., Julie Oliver-Touchstone, Lynn Andrews, Tom Nowicki, Michael Zagst, Xander Berkeley, Charles Jonathan Trott, Ella Ballentine, Mel Cowan, Mindy Raymond, Chris Doubek
Plot: Louise and Michael are distant siblings who are brought back to the family farm they grew up on when their father becomes deathly ill. Their mother is acting strangely and seems to be haunted by an unseen presence. As time goes on, Louise and Michael start to understand what is happening to their mother as the same presence makes itself known to them in increasingly terrifying and deadly ways.
Review: Set on an isolated family farm, The Dark and the Wicked stars Marin Ireland and Michael Abbot Jr. as Louise and Michael; a distant sister and brother who return to their homestead on their father’s deathbed. Their mother gives them a vague warning not to come, which they obviously ignore, dutifully heading to their father’s bedside to say goodbye. But when they arrive, something is off. This is where the scare-off starts!
There’s something else, something sinister in the air, and it’s not long until their homecoming turns into a nightmare.
In many ways, The Dark and the Wicked seems similar to The Strangers. The setting is very rural, the themes include- the sense of despair, and the complicated emotional relationships, the same existential terror: that in this world, there are cruel forces that will kill you just to see you die and torment you for the simple pleasure of watching you suffer.
The Dark And The Wicked shows scenes that are previously been demonstrated in other horror films: where a demon taunts a mortal by taking the form of a deceased loved one. In this case, that means Mom makes a number of appearances, and cinematographer Tristan Nyby films these scenes with such nuance that again adds to the brilliance of this movie.
Writer/director Bertino never really dims down the horror or the tension. The sound design, disturbing musical score, intentional disturbing visuals and the special effects add to the overall impact, but it's Ireland's effective performance that honestly gives this film it is true value. One of New York City's best stage actors, Ireland (whose screen credits include Martin Scorsese's The Irishman and Netflix's The Umbrella Academy) portrays with an unflawed duality that fully draws us into her character.
The Dark and the Wicked reaches for our psychology rather than just raising goosebumps. After you are done with the movie, you may feel that it didn’t leave. It lingers! It grows on you!