We’re going deep into horror here, bringing about pure, unadulterated demonic presence. It’s not about the horns and hellfire. It’s about perversion. It’s about making you lose hope in humankind, specially the one closest to you. Who you see and who you hear might be the person you love, but this is the kind of movie where you know that it most definitely is not. Anything you love is turned against you.
The Dark and the Wicked was written and directed by Bryan Bertino. Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbott Jr) go back to their parent’s farm where their mother takes cares of their comatose father. Things are about to go dark very fast. I really don’t think I should go any deeper into the plot than that.
What I can say is that this is film that attempts to chill you to the bone with the plain undeniability of an evil presence. It comes slowly, without any hurry. There is no logic to its approach. It’s mesmerizing, it’s torturing it comes with a voice, a noise, a shadow, or even the live appearance of someone who shouldn’t be there. The scary part is that it seems to enjoy the fear it brings, and it savors it slowly. The color palette is very dry, there’s nothing nice to look at.
Recommended only for real horror fan enthusiasts. The film is not pleasant to watch, which could be a reservation of sorts but it’s intentional. There’s no funny moments or fan service, it’s pure horror and it’s relentless. Somehow the film maintains its atmosphere even as it lets go, releasing its victims to breathe for a few just to grab them again. It’s almost like a beast taunting its prey – which is both the cast and the audience. Casual horror fans should abstain. Better the devil you know than the one you don’t.
That will do for now.
Never Think Impossible 