History of Evil is a haunted house story with an added layer of hate. In 2045 America has become a theocratic police state. A main figure of The Resistance named Alegre Dyer (Jackie Cruz, Orange is the New Black) has broken out of political prison and reunited with her husband Ron (Paul Wesley, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) and daughter Daria (Murphee Bloom). The rundown house they have hidden away harbors a dark past that begins to eat away at Ron.
The initial moments paint a dystopian picture that is eerily close to coming into focus in the real worl. Terms like “un-American” are casually thrown around, radio broadcasts attack anyone who thinks differently, and though it is never explicitly stated, the state police seemed to be called the J6, a possible reference to a very real travesty. This immediately gives History of Evil an oppressive atmosphere that never goes away. The now North American Federation is a hostile society run by a misguided sense of nationalism and religion.
Writer-director Bo Mirhosseni was inspired by his parent’s who were activists during the Iranian Revolution and human rights is a major part of his film. In an interesting twist, the bleak setting serves as a backdrop to what is can be described as a straightforward horror movie. Which is not to say that History of Evil downplays its deeper message. Instead, it is a story of all kinds of terror – real and supernatural.
The tension Mirohesseni creates in the early moments due to political turmoil morphs over the course of the plot. The group are on the run and are always in danger from their pursuers, but their internal struggles ensure the audience never has a chance to breathe easy. The past is as much of an enemy as the J6. Mixed in with some excellent jump scares and tried and trued horror tropes, and History of Evil is a enjoyably difficult watch.
History of Evil comes to Shudder February 23
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