Good British Folk Horror
Sacrilege: Four old friends with a complicated relationship head off from Bristol for a weekend at a country lodge. The women ignore the warning signs: 1 a taciturn, creepy groundsman (Rory Wilton) with antlers on the front of jeep; 2 a cannabis grow house in a shed adjacent to their lodge (who would leave it unlocked?); 3 a hitchhiker (Jon Glasgow) invites them along to a Pagan Festival but an old woman (Emma Spurgin Hussey) warns them to leave "before the Ritual is completed". But these twenty somethings act like teens and stay. The Festival itself opens with solemn intonations from a priest (Ian Champion) who asks those present to write down their fears and cast them in a fire. He offers praise to the Goddess, a figure made from twigs and a deer skull with full antlers. But then the party starts and everyone dances and drinks. After wards the women have visions of what they fear most: Trish (Emily Wyatt) bugs; Kayla (Tamarin Payne) a crazed violent stalker; Stacey (Naomi Willow) growing old; Blake (Sian Abrahams) a savage dog. They put it down to the weed they smoked. Then things start to turn strange, the visions become even more disturbing, violent deaths occur.A worthy addition to the British Folk Horror Canon this film shifts the focus to the South-West of England where seemingly friendly locals turn out to be more than just weekend Pagans. The deaths scenes are quite disturbing as character are spiked through the head and impaled on antlers but even in the opening scene a previous victim bursts into flames. The woods are threatening both at night and by day, looking quite primeval and exuding a sense of threat. But most frightening of all perhaps are the villagers and farmers gathered together wearing animal masks, accompanied by their Wicker Goddess. From the lack of ooo-arrs you know they're not there to drink cider. Some good acting from the four weekenders and Champion as the sinister priest. Writer/Director David Creed does a lot with with a low budget in his directorial debut. 7.5/10
score 8/10
Pairic 6 March 2020
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5530912/35030
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