After discovering a mutilated corpse near their property, two brothers learn that strange events occurring in their village are due to a man possessed by a demon, whose family is waiting for someone to free him from this evil.
What a shock! Maybe it was the perfect state of mind for watching a movie last night, but it had been a while since a horror film left such an impression on me. The images have been looping in my head ever since. This film is definitely not for everyone—sensitive souls, beware!
The strength of this film lies in its treatment of possession cases as a kind of epidemic, spreading as quickly as a zombie invasion. The first hour is exemplary, starting at full throttle and maintaining unrelenting tension throughout, with powerful scenes one after another. The final part is more conventional and somewhat predictable, but still impactful. The direction is impressively controlled.
The film owes much of its quality to its cast of unfamiliar actors (at least to us), all of whom deliver flawless performances. The unique touch is that the movie doesn’t anchor itself in our reality but in a world where belief in God has vanished and outbreaks of possession are common and feared. There are even seven established rules to deal with them. Whether it’s the makeup, perfectly balanced visual horror scenes, or the pacing, the film is a masterclass in efficiency that doesn’t try to explain the inexplicable. It’s devilishly Lovecraftian!
