Opening 6 Jun 2024
Directed by:
Ishana Shyamalan
Writing credits:
Ishana Shyamalan, A.M. Shine
Principal actors:
Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré, Oliver Finnegan, Alistair Brammer
Somewhere in Ireland there is a mysterious, uncharted forest. When someone enters it, they disappear never to be seen again. Mina (Dakota Fanning) works in a pet store and doesn’t take a shine to her new job, but then again, she seems to be suffering from depression. When her boss gives her the job of bringing a golden parrot to the north, her car navigation system takes her directly into this forbidden forest where she is stranded in a concrete bunker with three others who fear for their lives. Based on the Gothic horror novel by the same name by A.M. Shine, The Watchers is a chilling fantasy thriller that dives into the Irish folklore of fairies, changelings, and creatures of the night combined with modern day horror reality. The creatures watch the humans, and it is unclear what their intentions are.
The forest atmosphere is the perfect setting for a horror film. There are cinematographic elements which are reminiscent of the 2016 American-Japanese film entitled The Forest and the 2022 Finnish film called The Woodcutter Story. The main character in all three of these films is the forest itself; it is more than just a setting. Although all the actors did an excellent job, somehow the film lacks the anticipated suspense needed to bring this film to a high level in the horror genre. However, it is a good horror thriller to take the family to since the brutality is very minimal. (Shelly Schoeneshoefer)
