Mandrake, 2022.
Directed by Lynne Davison.
Starring Dierdre Mullins, Derbhle Crotty, Paul Kennedy, Seamus O’Hara, Nigel O’Neill, and Ian Beattie.
SYNOPSIS:
A probation officer is tasked with rehabilitating a notorious criminal, thrust back into society after twenty years in prison.
Folk horror is a unique subgenre of horror that has spewed forth its fair share of engrossing films over the years. Movies like The Wicker Man and Children of the Corn, as well as more recent efforts like Midsommar and The Witch, have each functioned as a window into the weirdly surreal world of folk horror. Mandrake is the newest addition to this grotesque collection of delights, but how does this indie flick stack up against others in the subgenre? Read on to find out.
Mandrake details the story of Cathy Madden (Dierdre Mullins), the probation officer charged with the duty of reforming serial killer ‘Bloody’ Mary Laidlaw (Derbhle Crotty), when the latter is released from prison after a two-decade stint. Cathy firmly believes everyone deserves a second chance, even someone of Mary’s ilk, but her beliefs are put to the test with the disappearance of two children near the notorious criminal’s farm, shortly after her return.
An intensely atmospheric affair, Mandrake is the sort of bleak-as-hell movie that’d suck you in to its overwhelmingly sepulchral world, and smother you in its ice-cold blackness. A run-of-the-mill chiller this ain’t, and that much becomes abundantly obvious from the very outset in Lynne Davison’s chilling feature film debut.
Working with a decent but frustratingly incoherent script by Matt Harvey, Davison’s decision to let the characters do the heavy lifting makes for a compelling viewing experience, in spite of the story’s shortcomings.
Being completely unfamiliar with Irish actress Derbhle Crotty’s filmography, I must say she completely blew me away here. Her screen presence is undeniable, foreboding and mesmerizing, in unison. Make no mistake, Crotty is the dark mesmeric center of the proceedings and her performance plays a pivotal role in making the film work.
Mullins turns in an understated but poignant performance that perfectly compliments the Crotty’s manic energy, and that’s more than adequate. The excellent technical contributions by DOP Conor Rotherham and composer Andrew Simon McAllister, heighten the overall experience from an aesthetic perspective and then some.
An atmospheric chiller par excellence, Mandrake is an engrossing horror drama propelled by commendable performances that delivers on the goods.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Hasitha Fernando is a part-time medical practitioner and full-time cinephile. Follow him on Twitter via @DoctorCinephile for regular updates on the world of entertainment.
