Vale Maligno

I'm usually let down by modern horror, but The Moor had me hooked from the start. It's creepy, thoughtful, beautifully shot, and way smarter than most of what's out there. The performances are solid across the board, the mood is tense without relying on cheap jumps, and the folklore elements feel grounded and original.

But just when I thought we were heading for a haunting, earned payoff...it pivots. One BAFFLING creative choice near the end nearly derails the whole thing. Not enough to ruin it, but enough to knock it down a peg or two.

Still, 90% of this movie is genuinely excellent. If they'd just trusted the story they were already telling, it could've been a classic.

I see others pan this movie because it doesn't have much action. Now, I'm not sure where in the description, the trailer, the synopsis, or promotions, did it infer this would be an action thriller horror. Before reviewing a movie, be sure you are a fan of the genre. Or at least somewhat interested. You shouldn't watch Maverick and think "C'mon, where's the gore?! Why didn't Tom Cruise get into any fights? It sucks, don't see it. Or pop on the original Predator and say "What a terrible idea, E. T. was way better! Or Schindler's List and post on here "that's not nearly as funny as I thought it would be." The Moor is a Horror, Mystery, Drama film. Turn off the lights, crank up the home theater, enjoy. It did well at the film festivals for a reason. I can't tell you how many movies people on IMDB will rate low and leave a review as if they watched a completely different movie. Sometimes, it's right. But lately, reviews on here make me question our educational system, the impact of information access and overload, and the complete disregard for nuance when ranking a film. Same goes for music, food, museums, and anything we view as entertainment.

They were so close to making a really enjoyable film, however, there are few things about this movie that are not good, here they are some examples:

• There was so much potential with landscape horror but it was never delivered, even though they clearly tried. The continues upshot of the landscape is not gonna do something on its own. They did that for what feels like 10 times during this movie as if I am supposed to feel anything, I didn't.

• The characters are not likable, in some movies this is no issue, but in this movie it feels not intentional. It feels like the writers didn't put enough attention to the characters.

• The jumpscares are pathetic. I try not to use dramatic wording while trying to review something but this is a crime that the director did. Blasting noise out of nowhere every 15 minutes is not how you do good horror. At some point the audio clips during a jumpscare which threw me right off as well.

I am so sad for this movie, I wish people would put a little more hard work and time. Especially when they are clearly creative and have a great concept on hand but oh well...

I really don't understand the bad ratings. I guess people nowadays are used to fast paced and commercially accessible monster/exorcism flicks with no depth. And believe me, I did watch The First Omen and Immaculate. While the first one mentioned was still watchable, the second one here is an utter disgrace.

In comparison The Moor is just one of those Indie Horror gems you cannot miss, especially if you have no problems with slow story telling opposed to the mentioned mainstream movies.

The images and scenery are scary in the first place already, although you do have some of the usual scares here and there which I somehow felt that they didn't feel forced.

The no name actors are all doing a very decent job especially the 2 females and the creepy soundtrack itself is simply phenomenal.

Still trying to make sense of some of the scenes, but the almost constantly tense atmosphere kept me on my toes!

This is one to put on the radar for horror fans. It's creepy as hell in parts with some stand-out moments in particular one in the tent towards the end. I imagine this is inspired by the Brady/Hindley murders (horrific enough without a supernatural element). If you've ever visited a moor in England it can be unnerving, easy to get lost and a sense of something old and ancient which is conveyed brilliantly in this film. There's a subtle element of paganism with strange carvings and statues, a part of British history that is still relatively unknown but often pops up in horror novels (Phil Rickman being one), and a faceless serial killer that ups the horror ante. It's slow-plodding in places and if had been a tad tighter it would have been stand-out. The cast are relatively unknown but the two female leads are ones to watch. All in all this was a great find.