Blake (David Lenik) and his alcoholic mother Margot (Tessa Wood) are forced to move into the mysterious Clemonte Hall, a vast isolated manor house, to care for his dying Grandfather, Aubrey (Barrington De La Roche) who resides in the attic room. Soon, ghostly goings-on fill the house with dread, as it becomes apparent Audrey's illness may have a supernatural cause.
An English Haunting was enjoyable and I imagine will be popular amongst a more mainstream audience looking for a classical approach to horror.
The location and cinematography are stunning and whilst the blurb states it is set in the 1960's - the film has a distinctly timeless feel to it. The film is well paced and both the story and each of the characters follow distinctive arcs. As a writer and reviewer, my biggest bugbear is poorly written characters. I am always going to champion a film that has believable characters brought to life by strong performances from the cast. Take Margot, who is resentful of reprising her role as her fathers carer due to their previously tumultuous relationship. It is a believable contrast to Blake whose loyalties are torn in several directions.
As the story unfolds, we are shown glimpses of a grotesque human-like monster on and Aubrey's involvement in its origins. In a subversive take on the feminine Gothic archetype - An English Haunting has us explore relationships between mother and son. Leading to a plot twist that was a genuine surprise. My only criticism was the portrayal of the three kings purely because I felt they did not contribute to the suspense of the film.
Audiences may be divided on An English Haunting. Genre audiences generally enjoy using their imagination - whilst mainstream audiences tend to expect all nuances to be made obvious for easier enjoyment.
