The Damned is a horror film directed by Thordur Palsson, who cowrote the film with Jamie Hannigan. It stars Odessa Young as Eva, a widow, who, alongside her late husband’s crew, notices a shipwreck off the coast of their campground. The group is forced to make a difficult choice.
This feature’s cinematography really jumped out at me the most. So many shots are incredibly artful and well composed. Also stand out is the lighting and color correction, which made me feel the biting cold of the characters’ environment, and the dread that they experience throughout the film.
The music and acting are also incredible, and further aid the tone and feel of the film. Odessa Young is particularly amazing. As for the music, one scene whose score stood out to me is the scene where they discover the shipwrecked crew. The music consists of a melancholic cello which places us in the characters’ position of feeling sympathy towards the crew. As the characters debate the tone of the music grows more contemplative.
I think my favorite thing about this movie is just how unique it is. It’s easier to find a horror movie that relies on shock value and gore than it is to find one that is more subtle and psychological like this one. Yes, it does include some moments that cause you to jump out of your seat or cringe from the gore, but overall, the focus of the film is much more on the growing dread the characters experience.
I also greatly appreciated the use of practical effects. I did not notice any special effects, which again, makes it very different from most other horror films from this current age of cinema. One practical effect that stood out to me is in a moment when they come across a man’s corpse, and cut it open, and what spills out is shocking and incredibly well-done. Were the scene to rely heavily on CGI, I think it would be harder to take seriously.
In terms of the story itself, I think the most interesting part of it is the ambiguity of what is actually happening. One character tells dark stories that cause the others to become increasingly superstitious as it begins to appear as if these stories are coming true. The film does a great job at placing us in the characters’ position and comes to a very satisfying close. The dread you endure by The Damned, makes it a very worthwhile watch!
-Madelyn, Filmmaker Mixer Podcast
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