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Im glad I found this movie; unfortunately it had a limited release and there was not much buzz about it. So when I found it, I did not expect much. But I couldn't have been more wrong. Although there is not much originality, it was well done and made me uncomfortable!

The tone of the movie was dreadful and was beautifully supported by the score, the cinematography, and the acting. The pace of the movie was slow, but the payoff was excellent. No cheap jump scares, the right amount of gore, and a clever plot.

Horror fans should definitely give this movie a watch!

'The Blackcoat's Daughter' is a dark and brooding suspense about two pretty but very different teenage girls left behind at a religious boarding school during a winter break. The eldest girl has devised to stay behind and has made plans to visit her boyfriend. The younger, more reserved girl seems anxious, and grows distraught about her dilemma. Our third lead character is a mysterious and troubled young woman (Emma Roberts) who has fled from a psychiatric institution and is making passage towards the school. She's helped by a concerned middle-aged couple.

The film cuts erratically from girl to girl, to the girls together with the two remaining staff members, and to the traveling young woman. Interwoven with these cuts are some brief and confusing flashbacks. All hell begins to fly loose and the audience is tasked to make sense of it. This is fun for some, but frustrating for others.

The tempo is mostly slow and the mood is dreary, but it's not tedious to watch. The sound effects and track were way over the top and became a distraction. I'm convinced that a blind person could piece things together just with the sound and a basic description of the scenes and characters. The set and costumes were unremarkable and lent nothing... a solid D. The acting was largely convincing and our three leading ladies did very well, B+ or better.

Those who appreciate thoughtful suspense that presents the audience with a puzzle with minor twists, then you'll certainly enjoy this. It's for this reason that I strongly advise viewers NOT to read any reviews that contain spoilers or an extended synopsis, nor seek out trailers or clips. This is a good date or bestie movie for those who can enjoy a macabre suspense. It allows plenty of conversational material during and following.

There are some moderate horror elements to the movie, increasingly so towards the end. These elements won't repel those who don't normally enjoy horror flicks nor fulfill the explicit horror fans.

One my my favorite horror films of the last decade was 2015's "The Witch", I loved how the movie set a dark tone that continued to get darker and darker as the movie progressed. I don't mind horror films that are a little lighthearted or even a bit humorous, however I really love when a horror film decides to just be dark & dreary as possible without ever really making you feel like things are going to get better. "February" does not quite pack the punch the The Witch had but it is still a very interesting film with a pitch black tone.

The film follows Kat and Rose, two girls at an all female boarding school who are left alone at the school when their parents fail to pick them up for break. From there things take a bit to really get going, the film moves at a very slow pace however I thought that worked and matched the tone well. There really isn't much action or shock scenes, but for me that just made the shock scenes even better when they finally did happen. There was one scene in particular that kind of just pops out of nowhere and actually gave me chills a bit.

I honestly don't have a lot to say about this film, but at the same time I really felt the need to write review because this is one that stuck with me and had me still thinking about it a few days after viewing it. It's not perfect, the pacing won't be for everybody and I'm sure many people will find it too drab and depressing to get any enjoyment out of it. But I really liked it and think it does a good job of standing out in a genre that is filled with too many cliché films.

7/10

Blackcoat's daughter has been sitting on my watchlist for a little while now. I was intrigued by it's mystery and eeriness, but something told me this won't be as great as I think it will.

And that little voice was right. Blackcoat's daughter had a massive potential. Not just that, it was very close to reaching that potential by having all the right details and twists in the plot. I think it was the execution that made the whole thing flop.

When you're watching it and assuming you're a fan of horror, you know there's something good there, but there's also a lot of that "wait what?" filter over it.

It's like listening to an almost good joke at a family gathering from your cousin. You know there's something hilarious about it, but your cousin is probably telling the joke the wrong way. So everyone is kinda lost, smiling awkwardly, and not sure about what they just heard when the joke's over. Then someone googles the joke and everyone gets that "ooooooh, right, that's actually pretty funny' moment.

Same thing with this movie - it took me a Youtube explanation video to understand that the idea behind the movie was actually genious.

I love it when the viewer has to use their brain and untangle a plot. But there's a line, where if you make it too mysterious, the audience just loses the thread completely.

Much appreciated. Sophisticated and subtle. Great job in the sound department.

Those who have not witnessed Kiernan Shipka's talent in "Mad Men" will surely find here some convincing material to make up their minds. The other two main actresses were also remarkable, however for exclusively aesthetic reasons, I must add.

Concerning the plot, I believe it is important to emphasize its non linear nature : a key element to reconstruct the overall "Stimmung".

I must criticize the trailer, despite having been convinced by it to approach the movie in the first place; the allusions to "erotic charge" are deeply misleading and cast a negative influence on the viewers, distracting them from the main, yet hidden, theme of the movie : the Occult. I rarely experienced a more discrete and effectively symbolic handling of such a complicated and debated matter. The way the Occult's first appearance on the scene is connected to the principal plot twist is also deeply satisfying. The final scenes also need to be focused on : they both bring the missing pieces in the plot and offer an open, surprising end.

My only critic would regard the excessive abundance of implicit hermeticism : some traits of the story could and should have been properly expanded (Kat's parents, some more details about Rose, a more complete view of the boarding school, the true origins of Kat's "sickness", just to make a few examples).

I love horror and I'm easy to please. This just didn't do it for me. I watched it alone, in the dark, before bed and fell asleep. The twist is terrible. It's slow and predictable.

I really don't understand the hype.

DISCLAIMER: This film requires a patient viewer who likes slow burns and atmospheric dread rather than jump scares or thriller action. Many of the user reviews on here trash the movie for being too slow or too boring, but this movie was never meant to appeal to everyone. If you thought this was boring or too slow, everyone has different taste and that's fine.

First off, the biggest strength of this movie is the icy dread and unease that this movie produces from the opening scene right up to the tragic final shot. This tense atmosphere never relents, even during mundane scenes, and left that dread in the pit of my stomach for the entirety of the film. Everything feels like there's something not quite right with it.

The cinematography and lighting are dark and brooding, with every room dimly lit and every setting having a sinister feel. This dreary feel to all the scenes almost never lets up and keeps the dread at a maximum.

The sound design is quite good, using prolonged silence to make scenes feel uneasy and eerie sound effects and music to heighten tension and fear. This is one of the loudest quiet movies I've ever seen, and the subtle arctic winds blowing and faint whispers and static drone are masterfully used.

The setting and environment add another layer to the dread of the film. Set in remote upstate New York in the dead of winter, the deep snow is suffocating and chilling. You can really feel the isolation of the school where Kat and Rose are staying, and the school itself is creepy in its own right, with dark and foreboding hallways and a glum exterior.

The story is not spoon-fed to viewers and is a bit of a puzzle that reveals itself one brief detail at a time, and it can be confusing on the first viewing of it. It keeps you guessing as to what's happening, and has some twists that make you rethink what you saw. The plot is told in an odd fashion, with each main character having their own "arc" in a sense and lots of brief flashbacks by Joan and Kat. The ending is a good payoff for all the dread and tension built up, though a bit rushed. The final shot is beautiful and haunting, and has stuck with me ever since.

Kiernan Shipka is very creepy and unsettling as Kat, and gives the best performance in the film. Even those who did not like this movie gave Shipka props for a wonderful job done. Emma Roberts steps into a different role than she usually does, and does an excellent job as Joan. Her body language said more than the few lines she has. The rest of the cast also turns in solid performances, the acting in this is a great strength next to its atmosphere.

This is an excellent but polarizing slow burn non-traditional possession horror film, and is impressive for Osgood Perkins' directorial debut.

The Blackcoat's Daughter, or originally titled February is the first feature film from Oz Perkins, and it's warmly welcomed and loved if you love a slow- build horror in the likes of It Follows, The Babdook, The Tall Man, or recently surprise hit The Witch. This film follows the same beat, while not necessarily executing it in a lively fashion it does deserve to stand on it's own merit.

Winter break is approaching so the students of Bradford Academy are all leaving to rejoin their parents over the two weeks... Expect for the exception of Kat (Kiernan Shipka) truly haunting each time on screen; and Rose (Lucy Boynton) who are forced to await the arrival of their parents who mysteriously fail to retrieve them. With their time spent there, we also meet Joan (Emma Roberts) another kindred soul trudging her way to the unknown. And thus, begins our film... A look at three different woman bound by a constant fear, ever present throughout the film.

For a first time director, Oz gracefully masters the camera as he glides slowly across the scenery meticulously acknowledging every shot... From a long tracking shot down a dark hallway to the swinging of a door in the wind. Every detail cleverly puts you on ease as you await the next scene. Kiernan Shipka controls the screen as she chillingly embodies the physical turmoil of an adolescent girl confused and unsure of herself... The rest of this little cast are also good... with the exception of Emma Roberts showing us that she can also do more than American Horror Story or Scream Queens. While good, the film does fall in structure during it's second act and end as we never truly understand the intentions of our characters or simply where the movie is headed... while the tone stays the same... haunting and melancholy. The film can loose you if you are not truly invested during it's final two acts.

Overall, The Blackcoat's Daughter is a well crafted horror that cleverly cuts between three characters while still juggling the fact that it is indeed a slow-burn horror well worth your time and money.

It's an ambitious movie, and early on the scenes underscore that the scenes will emphasize the unspoken, with long, uncomfortable pauses. Shot mostly at night, and in a nonlinear method, it's very confusing at first, and the ending doesn't provide the payoff you're hoping for. Some reviews here try to fill in the gaps the filmmaker left, and it's unfortunate that that's needed. There's talent on the screen, and it's been wasted. Near the end there's an attempt to explain the murky as Satanism, with the local priest doing an exorcism, which isn't the norm, but it's like so many films that sculpt a dark mystery without a clear path out. A bit dismaying in the end. The British call this Too Clever by Half, ie, failure.

Thought I would check this out as I am very much looking forward to seeing 'Longlegs' when it comes out in Australia next month.

'The Blackcoat's Daughter' (2015) aka 'February', is a slow burn, supernatural film with physiological horror elements that requires multiple viewings.

Some people interpret 'slow burn' as meaning slow or boring, but for me this is not the case with this film, the pacing is spot on and slowly the intensity and suspense builds up to the twist ending.

If you are a fan of atmospheric, creepy films such as 'Ring' aka 'Ringu' (1998) and 'Dark Water' (2002) then you will be hooked with this film.

Oz Perkins is becoming one of my favourite directors.

He has a signature style of high contrast of light and shadows, a very shallow depth of field (anyone in the background appears blurry creating a creepy, isolating effect), any scene in the film could be framed and put on a wall in a gallery.

Oz has obviously spent a lot of time studying photography, lenses and lighting; the fact this is his first film is incredible and looks very polished even for a seasoned filmmaker.

The sound effects and sound design really enhances the experience, especially the creepy, eerie moments - sometimes sounded like whispering voices to scratchy guitars or violins and together with the incredible performances, makes for a trying unsettling atmosphere.

This film stays with you long after the credits roll and makes you ask questions about what really happened.

There are many quick, breif horrific moments that make you question if what you saw was real or imagined.

Some reviewers found the non-linear approach confusing, I strongly disagree as this helps to establish the point of view of the main character.

Multiple viewings are required.

This may not be a film for everyone, but if you enjoy creepy, psychological films than you will really enjoy 'The Blackcoat's Daughter'.

I am looking forward to seeing more of Oz Perkin's films.

If you like sitting in traffic this movie is for you. If you like dial-up internet you'll love this movie. If you like reading junk mail you'll find this entertaining. This movie is the equivalent of standing in line at the grocery store behind a person that picked all the items without a price tag and she's paying with a check and the checker doesn't speak English.

The Blackcoat's Daughter is a flawed movie. But it stuck with me in ways that technically better horror movies have not. It's a well-shot, well-acted movie about grief and loneliness. Ultimately, it offers very little hope. I didn't like the feeling it left me with. But I can't say that's a demerit.

As to the flaws, it's difficult to get into those without spoiling the plot. The biggest problem for me is a particular casting choice; ultimately it's a cheat, but given the film's structure, it has to cheat to work. I guess you could call it a necessary evil.

I'm discovering that, between this and Hereditary, I don't like movies about demons. They get under my skin. And I'm not even religious.

February is a supposedly suspenseful horror, that's not long on suspense and well, um, that's about it.

There's lots of spooky, grating music, that's so overdone you quickly become numb to its effect. The consistently overly austere setting and what can only be described as "gray" characterizations only exacerbates and further fosters a sense of emotional dislocation on the part of the viewer.

Or put another, the tone and atmosphere established in this film is so overly creepy it actually stops being creepy and gradually becomes farcical. Any sense of suspense evaporates as the whole thing simply ceases to be all that believable. A fact that's not helped at all by an evil spirit that looks a lot like the shadow of a guy in a rabbit suit with big comical "rabbity" ears.

Worse still, this film never really goes anywhere terribly interesting or all that frightening. There's nothing clever on offer either, that might have redeemed this flick.

The acting is sound and at times, even quite good. The camera work and cinematography is refined too. Sadly there's little anyone can do, to lift a film that, in my opinion, has so little to say.

Four out of ten from me.

* TBD is an interesting film that is GUARANTEED to polarize horror lovers. It's a very simple narrative from a story standpoint, but what it lacks in narrative it's saved in spades by atmosphere and mystery. This is more of a psychological-thriller than a splatter-fest or hack-and-slash.

* So let's get the obvious out of the way, yes, it's a slow movie. It's a slow burn and I'd even say the climax is rather tame (not lame) in terms of gore/excitement/reward. Yes, it builds to a somewhat bloody climax but it's not balls to the wall crazy, so I'm afraid some will think the slow burn 70 minute build up isn't worth the wait.

* The movie is a classic case of style over substance. The gray color palette and dreary snow gives the movie its potent atmosphere. Throw in a great soundtrack/score (note: the music isn't like "It Follows" where you can listen to individual tracks). This movie's music perfect compliments specific scenes and builds some tension. It's a great addition even if it's not something I would go to Youtube and listen to compared to other horror soundtracks.

* This is a good slow burn horror movie, it's not perfect (mostly because the story is bare bones), but it's definitely watchable thanks to the three female leads. All of them are fantastic! So if you think you can handle a slow burn (with a more thought provoking climax opposed to a splatter fest) then this is something you should check out!

I did a non-IMDB review of this back in 2016 but after enduring it accidentally a second time I feel the need to express my thoughts on this.

February otherwise known as The Blackcoats Daughter is a horror though I use that term very loosely. It stars Emma Roberts, James Remar and rising star Kiernan "The new Sabrina" Shipka.

It tells three girls tales and how they're interconnected. An incredibly slow burn it alas doesn't offer much in the way of a payoff that you'd certainly expect with this type of film. A payoff at all? Yes, an explanation? Yes, a good payoff and/or explanation? Absolutely not.

Everyone looks bored which is kind of fitting because I'd imagine the viewer will be as well. The plot of convoluted but does get explained (Almost). As I walked away a second time there was still one unanswered question and I'm pretty sure it's one of those you need to suspend belief for and accept you won't get one.

Gritty, dark, terrible. I had a catheter in for a full week around the time of this movie, that was less unpleasant.

The Good:

Comes together well for the most part

James Remar

The Bad:

Dull and lifeless

Unanswered question

Performances are from people who behave like they regret doing the film

February is a flawed film. It is also a fantastic film.

It takes place in the middle of a cold, snowy Canadian winter at an all-girls boarding school. The winter break is approaching and all the girls are picked up by their parents to spend a week at home. The exception is Kat (Kiernan Shipka), a very young girl whose parents don't show up and she begins to fear them dead, and Rose (Lucy Boynton), an older girl who has lied to her parents because she wanted to spend the break alone at the school. As time goes on, Kat gets more and more worried about her parents and acting stranger and stranger. Meanwhile, a couple of towns over, another young lady, Joan (Emma Roberts), escapes from a mental institution. She seems to be on the move toward the boarding school where the other two girls are. I would advise against seeing trailers or looking up anything further about the plot, this movie is best experienced with no preconceptions of the sub-genre or where it is going, because it leaves you most open to what it tries to do.

The magic of this movie is mostly in its extremely distinct mood, an almost undefinable aura or quality to it. All of the aspects of film making mirror the cold, snowy winter - music, the pace, the character interactions. The characters speak lazily, morbidly to each other, everything has a hint of cold tension underneath it. I've never seen a horror movie with this particular type of mood, and I always welcome unique experiences.

The script is also expertly crafted. I like how subtly the mystery is revealed to the viewer - it is not spoon-fed at any point, and it is quite well-concealed for at least the first half of the movie. We only get pieces that almost seem impossible to fit together, yet they come together in a perfectly obvious and coherent conclusion. On top of that, the story radiates an overwhelming sadness which elicited a very strong emotional response from me personally. Mostly due to Shipka's amazing acting, which stole every scene (the other two girls are great too, just overshadowed by the youngest cast member). She really captures the desolate emptiness required of her role.

The flaws are really mostly superficial, and a product of the fact that the movie was made by a relatively young cast. The director clearly has a good eye for morbid beauty, and he has made a movie that is much more artistic than the average horror, but I still found that some of his stylistic choices were cheesier and more generic than he seems to think they were. He's still a very talented guy, he just needs to find a more humble and grounded balance between innovation and reference. Still can't wait until he makes another horror though, I will definitely be following him!

This is a movie that requires the viewer to pay attention, as it is not linear, and involves three girls at the Bramford School, a Catholic boarding school that is going on winter break, and the parents have come to pick up most of the girls, but some parents don't make it, and they are left behind. The headmaster assigns Rose to look after Joan, but you are not sure where Kat fits in. The movie tells the story of Rose, Joan and Kat, so once the movie gets to a point with one, it sort of rewinds to relate the story of each girl. It is very slow moving, and with a very moody atmosphere, throwing out tidbits as it progresses. This requires the viewer to keep track of several threads at once, and noticing some of the apparent flaws in each story that will be revealed later in the movie. At around the one hour point, the story jumps into high gear. It is worth the wait to see how it unfolds. But don't jump ahead in watching the movie, or you will be totally lost.

I am stunned to see so many positive reviews, and so many people being kind, let me be clear, this sucked! I absolutely hated it, an absolute mess of a movie in all ways, the plot was wafer thin, the story telling was woeful at best, and considering the type of movie it was, I found it needlessly gratuitous. It was agonisingly slow, the only time I can imagine anyone waking up was to see the overly violent scenes, which I must add were very badly done.

Emma Roberts was ok, but was clearly fighting a stinker of a script. The atmosphere started off well enough, eerie and dark, but soon the film turned into snooze mode.

One of the most boring films I've ever had the misfortune to watch. Every possible avenue was missed, widely.

I saw "The Blackcoat's Daughter" at a film festival over the weekend and I have no idea when the movie is going into general release. It's a film with good points and bad...but one thing you should understand first is that I am not a huge fan of horror. Nor, am I much of a fan of gore. So read my review with this in mind.

The story is set at a residential Catholic school in New York State. Although there is a break coming up, two girls inexplicably seem to STILL be there at school once the other girls all left for home. Rose is a manipulator and says her parents are coming the wrong day and it's all a mix-up. However, she's really there to see her boyfriend and she sneaks out of the school that night to see him. The other girl, Kat, is a cipher. While she looks young and sweet, she is an entirely different person inside and what she's capable of doing it something you learn through the course of the film.

The film's biggest plus is that it indeed is scary...and unsettling. Horror fans need not worry...it will do the trick if you want to be scared. On the other hand, Kat's character is difficult to understand and the odd way the story is told in a non-linear fashion seemed unnecessary to me. A mixed bag overall, but still, it's worth seeing if you are a die-hard horror fan.