Making its debut at Fantasia Film Festival, The Wretched is a film by writing and directing duo, Brett and Drew Pierce. The film follows Ben (John-Paul Howard), who, in dealing with his parents’ imminent divorce finds himself visiting his father at his home in a coastal town. After spending his days working at the boating docks, he spends his nights investigating the odd occurrences taking place in the nearby woods and his neighbor’s house. He soon finds that these occurrences are the result of a thousand-year-old witch, who has inhabited the body of his next-door neighbor.
The Wretched was at the top of my list for my most-anticipated films at Fantasia, and I am pleased to say that I was satisfied. The Wretched is a well-made film from top to bottom despite a shaky third act and a confusing revelation. From the very first scene of all-out bloody witch horror, The Wretched is an entertaining piece of filmmaking. The Pierces absolutely know how to shoot a horror film, with some shots being downright pretty in their lighting and composition, and others slowly and expertly revealing the film’s terror and horrific revelations.
The film’s antagonist, the ancient witch hiding in the woods was a standout element of the film for me. From the moment that it slowly climbs out of a rotting deer carcass, the witch is completely captivating. Lanky, grotesque and with glowing eyes or a deer skull mask, she truly is a terrifying creature even though we don’t see much of her. It’s a unique vision for a witch, the Pierces have no interest in witches with warts and robes.
The Wretched, rather, plays its witch in a less traditional sense, turning her from a run-of-the-mill cauldron stirrer or candy trapper into a body-inhabiting creature that finds its way into the bodies of adults in order to get close to children before devouring them. It’s very much reminiscent of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the twist on traditional witch lore is effective. And to be honest, what is more terrifying, particularly as a kid, than the idea anyone potentially being someone looking to hunt and devour you. It’s a terrifying premise and one that The Wretched executes on well.
Speaking of film influences, it’s hard not to notice that The Wretched owes quite a bit to voyeuristic filmmaking staples like Rear Window, and perhaps a little more fittingly, Fright Night. Ben finds himself spending his nights on his balcony with a bag of chips and binoculars, looking through his neighbor’s window, hoping for a glimpse of the witch. It’s a fun way to see the film through a teenager’s eyes, even if the film hits the familiar beats of those same films.
The film’s strongest offering and perhaps one of the biggest selling points and reasons that I would recommend The Wretched is its visual effects. The Pierces are not afraid to go into some really bloody and horrifying places here, and the film’s visual effects really drive those moments home. From fingers and hands bursting out of skin, bones and cartilage clicking and rearranging under flesh and a witch exit scene so disgustingly satisfying that it’s worth the price of a ticket alone, the visual effects are effective and electrifying.
The Wretched’s pacing is good, but probably could be slightly tighter. After a great set up in the first act, the second act lags a bit behind. As the explosive third act reaches its climax, it’s punctuated by a head-scratching twist that feels a bit unearned and frustratingly doesn’t quite add up. However, for the film’s sheer entertainment value and chilling final shot, The Wretched is easy to forgive and delivers on its promise of a dark and bloody romp of witchcraft madness. It delivers its fair share of terrifying imagery (it’s going to ruin video baby monitors for you, hands down) and it’s a movie that will have you wanting to revisit to make sure you truly know what happened. Worth a watch, for sure.
RATING: B-
