The Cursed (which made its world premiere under the name Eight for Silver at last year’s Sundance Film Festival )revisits one of the oldest and most loved creatures in horror. The atmospheric film is about a pathologist who has just arrived in a small village. He soon begins an investigation into a missing child. When another boy is seemingly killed by a wild animal, he learns the town harbors a dark secret that seems to be tied to his past.
Werewolf movies set in the foggy English countryside are not as widespread as they once were which immediately makes the film stand out. It is familiar while still being unique to modern times. This also gives the movie a gothic tone that fits the film perfectly. The Cursed is set in the late 1800s and the architect and costumes are perfect. The movie will effortlessly transport the audience to another time.
The Cursed is an entirely fresh take on the gypsy curse story. The creature is not the standard werewolf that appears once a month. It is a much deadlier foe that can strike at any time. This is shown when the creature attacks multiple times during daylight. This adds an element of danger and tension that is not always found in these types of films. This also makes an already fearsome creature that much more dangerous.
Visually, the creature design is horrifying in the best ways. The Cursed seems more indebted to science fiction than it does Universal. While there are some lupine characteristics, the monsters here are much more terrifying. The originality may cause some to question why the film seems to provide one of the most basic of scary stories. While this is true to an extent (it is a tried and true revenge curse tale), it adds more depth through its themes.
The actions of the greedy landowners are not new, but the focus on land being stolen from indigenous people gives this more of a folk horror feel than similar stories. This is a very welcome change that The Cursed has brought to the genre. The greed of the wealthy becomes another focus. The main crime is not the forceful taking of lands but the lust for having more riches.
Like any good monster movie, The Cursed is incredibly gory. There are some very violent kills that will be sure to cause people to look away. There is also an incredible scene that can best be described as body horror. One of the most shocking is a disgusting moment when someone is “made an example of”. While it look horrible, it also leaves much to the imagination. This increases the sheer terror of what has happened.
Horror movies thrive on using old favorites. Though it is not as common as previous years, one of the most endearing creatures is the werewolf. So much has been done with the monster, it seems like there is nothing new left to do. The Cursed makes so many changes that referring to it as a werewolf movie is not entirely correct. It brings many pleasant and frightening changes that fans will love.
The Cursed comes to theaters February 18
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