Le Bon Apôtre

I was really hyped up for this one - I loved both "Raid" parts & folk/cult subgenre is one of my favorites in all things horror. I was expecting a sort of mashup of "The VVitch" and "Wicker man" (the original, of course), but what I got is a sort of a Lovecraftian "Wicker man", which is totally not bad. Let's start with the pros: amazing cinematography, decent acting, intriguing settings and well-done gore & fight scenes. That's enough pros to make a movie average or better than that. But what was wrong? Mainly pacing & plot. This could've easily been a 90minutes long horror flick, without losing much of the atmosphere. "The Apostle" was shook by a set-up too long, consisting of many uninterrupted long shots, walking, watching, staring etc., they were making suspense and doing an overkill at that. What about the plot? It's engaging enough (just enough), but ultimately fails to deliver some answers to some burning questions. To sum it up, it's an above-average Netflix original, a very decent horror film, average mystery drama & an entertaining watch for any folk/cult/religion/Lovecraftian loving horror fan. I give it a solid 7/10.

Not sure why all the very negative reviews. While not a masterpiece, I found this pretty enjoyable. Yes, if you're expecting the in media res of The Raid you're probably in for a disappointment, as this is a bit of a slower burn. There are some pretty intensely violent moments but they are in the minority. No, it is not a perfect movie, but I think it successfully segues from period piece to horror film pretty well. Some people will probably have a problem with the fact that it isn't enough of one or the other. It's a difficult film to classify and there are some narrative holes. But I think it has enough interesting elements, stand-out scenes, and general intrigue to warrant a 7/10.

Great visuals, creepy atmosphere, however the story steadily loses its grip and devolves into sillyness.

It really does surprise me that this film didn't get a big theatrical release, logically I don't really understand why. Its original, has a great cast and boasts a terrific story line. The cinematography is terrific, it had superb production values, it really looks slick and very well made. I can't decide who stands out in particular, but the acting in general is exceptional, with Michael Sheen perhaps ending the charisma stakes.

It's a very macabre storyline, possibly the reason for its lack of release, if you've seen The Witch, that's a good idea of the tone you'll get here, very dark to the point of being bleak.

This isn't for everyone, but I loved it. 8/10

Apostle is another Netflix original, a collaboration between UK and US production companies and is certainly a memorable tale.

It tells the story of a man who visits a secluded island housed by a mysterious cult that have kidnapped his sister. But beneath the visage is something even more sinister than he could have possibly imagined.

It comes under the horror genre, I question that. Is it really? Thriller seems to suit it better.

Starring Michael Sheen in a truly excellent performance by him this grisly, dark, moody little film really got my attention early on but by about half way it seemed to have lost its way. Like the writer had a good idea but didn't know how to follow through with it.

I'm not saying Apostle is a bad movie, it has some great themes and looks great but from an entertainment perspective it finds itself somewhat lacking. I'm not a person who needs everything spelling out for him, I don't mind things being left open to interpretation but there is a fine line between that and just leaving things a tad too open.

Apostle is a watchable effort with some nice ideas but as for what they were actually aiming for I think it's a swing and a miss. Shame.

The Good:

Looks the part

Michael Sheen

A few decent ideas

The Bad:

Doesn't really come together very well

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Concerningly that lifestyle (Minus the religion) oddly appeals to me

Christian torture devices are the stuff of nightmares