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The Cursed
2021 111 min France, United States of America R 16+
★6.4
Horror, Drama, Thriller
Director: Sean Ellis
Trailers
Description
In the late 19th century, a brutal land baron slaughters a Roma clan, unleashing a curse on his family and village. In the days that follow, the townspeople are plagued by nightmares, the baron's son goes missing, and a boy is found murdered. The locals suspect a wild animal, but a visiting pathologist warns of a more sinister presence lurking in the woods.
US Gross:
$4.59M
Worldwide:
$4.59M
Starring
Boyd Holbrook
Actor
Kelly Reilly
Actor
Alistair Petrie
Actor
Awards
5 nominations total
Key opinion
The Cursed is a visually evocative gothic horror film that earns praise for its atmospheric 19th-century setting and refreshing take on werewolf lore. While critics appreciate its distinctive aesthetic and visceral approach, the experience is hindered by a disjointed narrative and inconsistent production quality regarding creature effects.
| Production | The film succeeds as a moody, immersive gothic experience, utilizing wind, fog, and period-accurate costuming to craft a bleak, oppressive atmosphere. | |
| Originality | The narrative injects originality into the werewolf subgenre by framing the monster as a vengeful, symbolic spirit rather than relying solely on conventional transformation tropes. | |
| Emotion | The horror is punctuated by stark, graphic, and unceremonious violence that effectively emphasizes the brutality of the curse. | |
| Production | The creature's physical appearance divides viewers; some find the design and its integration into scenes to look plastic or unconvincing compared to the high-quality surrounding visuals. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is viewed as a source of friction, with some reviewers praising its unique moral core while others find the plotting tangled, filled with illogical character decisions and unnecessary narrative tangents. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on pacing are split; while some enjoy the film’s slow-burn, atmospheric tension, others feel the momentum drags and the resolution is stretched, resulting in an overly long runtime. |