The Dark and the Wicked was almost hard to watch because of the gore and just how terrifying it is — which I am totally here for!
I am a big fan of horror movies for many different reasons. I like ones that keep you in suspense, ones that will have you hiding under your blanket, and ones that are filled with gore. Well, The Dark and The Wicked does all of those. This movie combines grief, the supernatural, and a whole lot of gore. There are moments that are almost too hard to watch because of how grotesque they are. So you know I loved that.
If I had to describe this movie in one word, it would be unsettling. Almost from the very beginning there was this thick feeling of dread that I got watching The Dark and the Wicked. About halfway through the film, I had to turn the lights on. There was no way I could watch this thing in the dark. It had me too worked up. I thought for sure I was going to have nightmares for the rest of my life after this one. Heck, I still might.
The Dark and the Wicked is the story of Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbot Jr.) who return to their family’s farm to help their mother because their father is on his death bed even though their mother tells them not to. I never expected this movie to get so dark and wicked (pun intended) so quickly.
It becomes crystal clear that something is coming after their family. There are hallucinations, suicides, and well… a whole lot of creepy things going on. Like I said above, some parts are almost hard to watch. Although this movie is only an hour and a half, it does not fly by. I don’t mean that to say it is slow and boring, so much as you will be so scared the moments will feel much longer than they are.
Overall Thoughts
Writer/director Bryan Bertino had me on edge for an hour and a half straight. There were times that I jumped out of my skin, that I thought I might be sick, and that I watched through my fingers. While there is a story here, it was overshadowed by the scary and the unknown. Which is not such a bad thing.
The scariest part about this movie is that you don’t know what to believe. No one, including the characters, knows what is real and what is a living nightmare. The fact that they don’t know what it is they are dealing with, makes it that much more horrific. Oh, and get ready for a lot of jump scares.
About The Dark and The Wicked
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.
THE DARK AND THE WICKED In Theaters, On Digital and On Demand November 6, 2020
