Money for old tropes
The Banishing (Not Rated, 97 mins) Directed by Christopher Smith Reviewed by James Croot ★★★
Marianne Forster (Jessica Brown Findlay) hopes her husband’s latest role might just give him a new lease of life.
Taskedwith restoring a town’s flagging faith, Reverend Linus Forster (Johnheffernan) seems genuinely passionate about something for the first time in a while. To add to Marianne’s delight, the position even comes with impressive digs – the historic Morley Rectory.
Sure it might be a little worse forwear, but, as she says, ‘‘all it needs is awoman’s touch’’.
Likewise, while the electricity isn’t exactly reliable, resulting in many of the rooms being closed off, Marianne is sure that, with their daughter Adelaide, they can make it a happy home.
However, any hopes that she had of a thaw in their marital relations is quickly dashed. Linus still believes sex simply for pleasure is a sin, so won’t even share a bed with her, lest he give into temptation.
And yet, when he sees her talking to one of their male staff in the town, a jealous rage near consumes him.
Then there’s the strange noises emanating from morley Rectory itself. Linus dismisses them as ‘‘mice, rats, no more than that’’, but Marianne isn’t so sure.
With nerves already jangled, her fears are sent into over drive when she encounters the mysterious Harry Reed (Seanharris).
No fan of the church, he tells her the rectory is built on the charred ruins of an old monastery where less-than-holy things took place.
Harry also suggests that, rather than having emigrated to Australia, Linus’ predecessor may have suffered a rather more sinister fate that the Bishop (John Lynch) hasn’t exactly been forthcoming about.
Set on the eve of World War II, The Banishing is a fascinating, but flawed, horror whose tale may be overly familiar, but possesses flashes and moments of real inspiration.
Best known for his noughties horrors like Triangle and Severance, British director Christopher Smith demonstrates some real verve in ratcheting up the tension. A scene focused on an unnerving, disturbing game of What’s the Time Mister Wolf? and another involving a reflection staying in place are two of the best visual frights I’ve ‘‘experienced’’ in some time.
Unfortunately, these artful moments and a surprisingly poignant and timely message around how ‘‘evil triumphs when good men do nothing’’ are tethered to a rather lacklustre script from
Banishing’s trio of writers.
There’s definitely money for old tropes here, as creepy dolls, murderous visions and stories of ghosts with grudges are exhumed.
Nominal leads, Downton Abbey’s Brown Findlay and Netflix
Dracula’s Heffernan, also find themselves outshone by a creepy performance by The Fall’s Lynch and that distinctive Harris ( Mission: Impossible: Fallout) rasp.
That results inwhat essentially feels like a 1930s version of
Insidious, The Amityville Horror or
The Shining and a film that’s atmospheric and chilly, rather than thrilling and chilling.
The Banishing is now available to stream on Shudder.