Apóstolo

The people giving this film 10/10 are being too nice and those giving 1/10 are being overly critical. The truth, for whatever my opinion is worth, is somewhere in between. The acting is actually quite good, with Michael Sheen giving a particularly extraordinary performance. The setting is beautiful and the film overall beautiful to look at.

The concept is interesting as well and the first 45 minutes actually seem to fly by because the premise is so compelling; you'll want to know what's going to happen. Unfortunately, the plot seems to slowly deteriorate after that as Gareth Evans remembers that he needs to throw in a healthy amount of gore to please his greatest fans and the storytelling takes a serious hit in the process. It ends up somewhat confused and chaotic and not in an interesting way.

A fascinating and thoroughly engaging film, with incredible direction, great performances, splendid cinematography and an unpredictable plot, even though there were some inconsistencies.

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

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

I cannot believe there are any bad reviews for this film. I'll keep this brief.

This film is an absolute gift for anyone who loves true horror. Much like The VVitch it is a beautifully acted and written period piece set in the early 1900's. The pacing is perfect, the tone is driving and rhythmic, never was there a point during this film where I was bored. The characters were fleshed out and easy to empathize with. Overall I thought this was fantastic. I think it's almost a waste that its a netflix film and did not get a theatrical release.

Anyone who loves the idea of paganism, cults, religion without pandering to Christians (which is what The Conjuring does, even though I am a fan of those films), or period pieces will love this film. Do your self a favor and give it a chance.