Horror movies involving witchcraft always have a strong female component. Sometimes they have been used to empower women and overcome old patriarchies. Sometimes they are not really about women and are centered more in actual demonic pacts. And then you have some films that can’t really make up their minds. There’s some good horror ideas in this film, I’m just not sure we have a complete story.
The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw was written and directed by Thomas Robert Lee. Audrey Earnshaw (Jessica Reynolds) hides away her presence from the rest of her highly conservative and ultra religious folk who already resent her mother Agatha (Catherine Walker). The Earnshaw farm seems to prosper while everyone else is living with scarcely anything to eat. The community, secluded from the world and away from technology, is easily ready to brand her a witch.
Agatha is a witch. What’s more, Audrey herself might be the witch of all witches. This is apparent from the beginning, except we can’t be sure who we’re really supposed to feel sorry for. Obviously we want to see evil unleashed. When it happens, Audrey seems intent on bringing about strife and madness on the entire populace. One can’t be certain if she is just cursing everybody for the heck of it or she actually has a goal to achieve. Jessica Reynolds does portray an enigmatic Audrey, but the character doesn’t really go anywhere.
Either by design or by consequence, people around the community that have fallen under her influence soon turn violent and suicidal. This is where the thread is lost, but since your experience may be different perhaps no plot is needed at this point. I just couldn’t make a sense of why the story gets to the point that some sort of bargain is struck and a rather unconnected finale/cliffhanger/scare happens years later. I don’t see it flow naturally, but rather set up scenes with increasingly less of a connection as we go along.
Lightly recommended for some unholy horror and damnation with reservations. Definitely could have used a more tight story and less loose threads. The ending arrives without any build up and/or anticipation created and the finale doesn’t seem to have much of a connection. I guess we’re supposed to believe that it’s just damnation for damnation’s sake but the story doesn’t hold together for a satisfying ending. You might get more mileage just going along without a care, but as much as some performances had potential it’s over before it gets interesting.
That will do for now.
Never Think Impossible 