Bad movie from IFC, IFC picture
In the scene of “psychological horror” movies, many of which fail to impress, it’s nice to see a well-thought-out movie that comes of age with a supernatural element of horror with The Wretched on Netflix. And I’m not the only one who thinks so! The Wretched was released to the streaming service on July 31st and is already in the Top Ten Netflix Movies with a fresh rating of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes. Written and directed by the Pierce brothers, a duo to keep your eyes peeled for in the horror genre, IFC released The Wretched in 2019, and it was actually number one at the box office for a few weeks ( true, it’s one of the few movies playing because of Covid, but still).
The Wretched pulls no punches, starting with a disturbing opening sequence that sets the pace and tone of the film ahead. I for one, am a fan of this trick of starting a horror movie with a good scare before settling into the show.
The story focuses on Ben (John-Paul Howard) spending the summer in the small town of his father (Jamison Jones) in the midst of teenage rebellion while dealing with his parents’ divorce. His father runs or owns a local marina, where Ben meets his team and love interest Mallory (Piper Curda) who is beautiful and provides good humor throughout the film.
Ben’s attention is caught by the neighbors (who are in the bedroom with the curtains open) and Ben quickly befriends their youngest son, Dillon – bonding over the summer weather’s unpleasantness. On a walk with his mother Abbie (Zarah Mahler), Dillon notices something “not right” in the woods – and follows them home. Strange things begin to happen when this entity, a thousand-year-old cannibalistic witch, possesses (or has) Abbie and begins attacking the town’s children. Ben is the only one who sees strange things around him, but no one believes him (he remembers 2007’s Disturbia, watching the neighbors through a picture in the bedroom) – even Mal doesn’t take it seriously.
Bad movie from IFC, IFC picture
One of my favorite little details about this movie is that Abbie is a modern mom, drinks beer, sports graphics, and wears a skull shirt. There is a scene in the movie where Dillon tells his dad that “mom is doing amazing” and his dad says “mom was amazing, you should see her at Burning Man”. More movies should have married women who are relatable to the current youth generation.
If you’re looking to be truly scared by a movie, The Wretched isn’t the one.
The Wretched Soundtrack by Devin Burrows adds suspense and atmosphere to the film which chillingly uses practical effects instead of CGI and makes great use of sound effects to heighten the scares. Film slowly unfolds the certificate instead of revealing their full hand. There is an area with some domestic abusers that is unnecessary and should be left on the cutting room floor, but this is a minor gripe. The time devoted to this episode could have been better used to flesh out the family drama between Ben and his father or the relationship between Ben and Mallory.
Fans and fans of the horror genre will appreciate the suspense, creative effects, and new vision of what a witch is or can be, but they won’t be afraid. While entertaining and entertaining, The Wretched isn’t particularly scary – there isn’t a single jump shot, which while not always my favorite horror, helps the horror factor of this film. Read also : Most People Should See This Bizarre Sci-Fi Movie On Prime Video. Horror novices and those who find all things scary will be horrified by the witch and her actions, and I think it will be fun to watch this with one of them.
With a running time of ninety minutes, this movie is worth watching. It’s got a great antagonist who has no qualms about abusing children, a hero who deserves to root for him, and a fun flashback that’s a nice break from the Legacy and Babadooks of the day. Check it out on Netflix, I don’t think you will be disappointed. I wasn’t.
Are you afraid or uncomfortable with scary movies? Let me know in the comments!
