The Irish have taken over from the Japanese the mantle of cutting edge horror. The Hallow is another in a line of strong, independent horror films set in Ireland, with a powerful mix of body horror and traditional Irish folklore. It’s also another in a long tradition of “why do people never listen to their new neighbors?”
Our two heroes are husband and wife (I honestly don’t remember their names) who’ve moved to the Irish countryside to do…something. It’s unclear exactly what they are doing, but it has something to do with the forest. I’m sure this was explained during the film and I just missed it, but it didn’t strike me as particularly important. But I digress. Most of the locals are unhappy with their presence, and one neighbor in particular is keen to warn them about the fairy folk wandering the nearby woods. No one listens of course, and weird things start to happen, all focused around the couple’s young child. Before long we are dealing with changlings, parasitic microbes, woodland creatures of dubious character, and general insanity. And the twist at the end, pretty cool and unexpected.
A pretty good way to spend an hour and a half, if not the best movie I’ve ever see. A good argument for clear cutting forests, but the Ireland tourist board is probably less than pleased.
4 flaming scythes.
Beware The Shadows 