The Wretched is a 2019 horror film about a teenage boy, recently moved in with his father following a divorce, discovering that the neighbor’s wife is possessed by a thousand year old witch.
Witch-oriented horror movies are not exactly far and few between, the formula more than a little stale. Writing and directing brothers Brett and Drew T. Pierce‘s The Wretched aims to breath new life in the genre, doing so by stitching together two witch tales in a clever way, using practical effects instead of CGI in delivering a realistic and genuinely unsettling experience. It packs in a few standard jump scares here and there but mostly, it relies heavily on building tension where scenes are driven by the anticipation of horror rather than the use of it, the creepy titular creature truly giving this some frights.
The story is split into two parts. On one side, there is teenager Ben (John-Paul Howard), defiant and working hard to accept his parents divorce, adapting to living in a new small town. He meets a girl, Mallory (Piper Curda), who works at the marina with him and naturally, some romance sparks. This is all perfuctory and fairly by the numbers but it helps establish a tone. At least these characters aren’t typical and the dialogue is fresh. Mallory is sassy and that’s a nice offset to the clueless attitude of Ben. Still, there is some weakness in the dramatic bits, not all of it sturdy.
Then comes the other side, the horror, which is there the film better finds its footing. This has a lot to do with Zarah Mahler as Abbie, who is every bit as creepy as she is suspenseful playing the neighbor’s witch-possessed wife. This is not your typical on-screen witch and to keep it spoiler-free, let’s just say its a unique take on the genre. Her eyes and expressions are source for our uneasiness and every movement she makes is chilling. And it’s the way the Pierce Brothers hint of who she is, from the little details of the witch’s symbol and finding bits and pieces as Ben observes from afar, leading us to the final act where the big twist justifies everything prior.
The Wretched isn’t without flaws and the background defiant teenage story feels a bit “been there done that,” but luckily, the filmmakers more than make up for these with a fresh bend in the road. Going places infrequently explored in this subgenre they make this an exciting feature and curious as to where they will take us next.
The Wretched world premiered at Fantasia Festival so its one to look out for in the upcoming festival circuits and comes highly recommended.