Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Dark and the Wicked’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the motion picture, ‘The Dark and the Wicked’.
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We take part in a great many unique and important customs/traditions throughout life, and we are often eager to do so, simply because they are important to our growth as a human being. For example, weddings are the kind of tradition that teach us the value of love and how treating someone that sends our hearts a flutter can provide us with endless happiness. Or the baby shower for instance, and the follow up tradition of being around family when the baby is born… are traditions that speak to the wonder of life. And they engender hope since that little bundle of joy not only represents the miracle that we are as a species, but the future of mankind and the possibility of a better tomorrow, since that teeny baby could change the world for the better. 
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But while those types of customs are often celebrated and eagerly awaited by the vast majority of people, since they truly do engender joy, we can never forget that life is about balance and that means that there are some sorrowful traditions that we take part in as well. Such as preparing for and mourning the death of a loved one. Because sadly, our time is limited on this earth and that means those who raised us and adored us, must part from this plane sooner than any of us would like, and that motivates us to assemble in our hometowns and old homes to reflect upon our collective life experiences before the end arrives. And a great deal of us try to be there in their final moments so that they feel comfort and love before they take their last breath, an act that offers our souls a sense of outright closure. However, what we don’t talk about enough when it comes to this unfortunate tradition, is the negative psychological impact it has upon our lives.

Because this one will in fact, break a person. Since it is hard to reconcile the end of a life and it can engender fear over the end for others and ourselves and that fallout is why we work so hard to celebrate the life of a loved one when they depart, so that we don’t have to think about the other ugly stuff that waits in the wings. But one way or another, we will need to face this dark aspect of the human condition and oddly enough, there are stories out there that help us to do that in a dynamic and bold manner. Such as the brand-new Shudder feature, The Dark and the Wicked. Now in this particular film, we follow a brother and a sister named Louise and Michael, who have come home to spend time with their mother during their father’s final days. But as their visit chugs along, sinister and horrible things begin to happen around the household, putting their lives in danger and forcing them to ponder upon, whether or not a great evil has found their family. 

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Which is a supremely simple plot to say the least and that is the beauty of this particular film. In that it uses simplicity to produce some serious scares and to explore our concerns and fears when it comes to death and well, before we dive into the philosophical stuff, let’s talk about the terror. Because whatever evil is surrounding their father and their homestead, will stop at nothing to claim as many lives as possible, and that leads to some incredibly disturbing scenes and imagery that are designed to drive the characters mad and to their death and it also leaves the viewer squirming in their seat as well. Because nothing is quite what it seems in this tale and you never know if something or someone that pops up is the evil in question and that definitely leaves you on edge and terrified for certain. 
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Which brings us to the film’s decision to explore our collective fear when it comes to death. Because it uses the scares and the presence of evil, to handle that in a subtle manner. Because in essence, the evil terrifying these poor siblings, stands an allegory for death and how hard it is to face it the first time around. For that first loved one we lose in life, rips our soul to shreds and hammers home the fact that death is an inevitability and that it comes for us all. And that sobering reality, one that few of us like to linger upon or face, really does rattle our minds and our souls and can paralyze us with fear and that really seems to be what Michael and Louise are going through in this tale and that makes this particular horror film about as brilliant as they come.

Because this is a topic that we truly don’t talk about enough or properly prepare ourselves for and understandably so. Because we genuinely fear death, since it is a violating and ugly act that serves as the anthesis to everything we hold dear. But that is what great horror stories do, they motivate us to face our darkest fears in a bold and sobering manner and The Dark and the Wicked accomplishes that to a tee and that makes this particular motion picture a must-see for certain. Simply because this is a magnificent and visceral experiment in terror. One that taps into the darkest parts of the human psyche and offers no comfort or safety. Just raw and unflinching truth, the kind that will haunt you long after this movie has come to an end.

‘The Dark and the Wicked’ is streaming now, exclusively on Shudder.

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