The Unkindness of Ravens

This film offers great visual effects, make up and filming locations but the story telling and script are really bad and disjointed with gore and violence thrown in without thought. The actor is good and believable but unfortunately I couldnt help feeling I had wasted an 1.25 hours of my life .

A well done independent movie, beautifully shot in the Scottish Highlands, that blends the horrors of PTSD with the fascinating Celtic legend of the "raven warriors". Atmospheric and unsettling, with its low budget only revealed with some dodgy CGI.

I did like Lord of Tears and gave it 6 out of 10 but there is simply no comparison with The Unkindness of Ravens. Lord of Tears showed potential but the latest movie to come from director Lawrie Brewster shows that he got his act together with the issues that film had.

The acting is utterly intense and the pace is insane especially in the last half. I don't think I've actually seen an indie horror put someone through so such hell since perhaps A Serbian Film! I'd compare The Unkindness of Ravens to The Evil Dead with parts reminding me of Phantasm. If that doesn't make much sense it's because there is not many films as strange as this.

Some of the scenes are graphic and at times I had to look away as I have a thing about eyes... and so does this movie. It also made me feel for the character and the problems are vets come home with. You really care for him. Most important for me was that it didn't have a cop out ending - but an epic finale, won't say more than that.

Another plus is that they got the guy from Lord of Tears with the beard who I thought was really good.

Lord of Tears had me on the fence, but The Unkindness of Ravens seals the deal.

WARNING: This is an original horror tale, there is nothing out there like this. If original is what you want then look no further.

Great stuff from Lawrie and Sarah again in creating a weird and twisted tale that takes you on psychological journey into the human mind after a horrific traumatic event.

Jamie Scott Gordon's performance plus the eerie location and the wonderful soundtrack elevate this film to another level.

Lord Of Tears and The Undkindness Of Ravens take me back to my youth of old British Horror movies which i am an avid fan of. Two different types of Horror, the first creepy and unsettling and the latter based on the character's personal demons and fears. Both equally effective in playing with your mind.

Can't wait for the next project from these guys.

The Unkindness of Ravens wastes no time in delivering the viewer into the world of PTSD-suffering Andrew. At the urging of his therapist, Andrew retreats to a remote cottage in the wilderness of Scotland to face his demons - both the unshakeable memories of wartime atrocities, and the phantasmic cult of raven-men that haunt his every waking moment. An unhealthy dose of isolation and survivors guilt make Andrew quick fodder for his avian tormentors, as well as his own incriminating reflection. Playing out like an extended Jacob's Ladder type nightmare, the film sends Andrew through a gauntlet of terrors as we learn about the events which brought him to his fragile mental state.

Shy on dialog, Jamie Scott Gordon bares a heavy load, carrying the film as virtually its sole character. Jamie is fearless in his raw emotion and empathetic in his suffering. Lawrie Brewster's film is heavy with mood, yet economic and precise with its storytelling; starting from a gloomy foundation and only building from there.

Masterful cinematography and visual effects work by Gavin Robertson and Michael Brewster paint scene after scene of dire circumstances splayed across stark, barren landscapes, and dilapidated architectures. Joseph Ruddleston's score and Sarah Daly's sound design are perfect complements, adding an impactful voice to Andrew's distress.