The Good: This movie is freakin' GORGEOUS. I absolutely loved how this movie looked; I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Everything from the depth of the images, to the saturated colours, the rolling fog, and the period appropriate costumes come together to transport you to a different world. While it's a relatively simple setting, it's imbued with a lot of character. As for the more fantastical elements, this film has some truly shocking images that I guarantee will lodge in your mind (if you're into that sort of thing).
I also appreciated the period appropriate characters and sensibilities. This is more The With or The Nightingale then your typical historical horror film, with characters acting as people in Victorian Britain would act. That includes the good and the bad, with a heavy dose of class obsession that feels right for the era. I'm not opposed to movies taking liberties with history, but only if there's a point to the subversion. The Cursed is quite authentic in that regard, and it's awesome.
But, let's be real, what we all want to know is if The Cursed delivers on the scares. I wouldn't say this is a particularly *scary* movie, but it is unique and inventive. It's take on the werewolf myth is pretty novel and rooted in trauma, injustice, and oppression (with some very clever Biblical connections as well). It's very interesting and I give Ellis credit for that.
Horror movies don't often get praised for performances, but shout out to this movie's wonderful cast. Everyone felt transformed into late 19th century Britons, to the point where I almost forgot where I've seen these people before. Boyd Holbrook, Kelly Reilly, and Allistaire Petrie really shine.
The Bad: This movie's worst aspect is its editing. The cuts are relentless (especially towards the beginning) and quite disorienting. There are scenes of truly striking imagery ultimately ruined by the constant cutting. It's an inexplicable decision for a movie that's ultimately quite slow paced.
Moreover, while I really liked the performances, none of these characters had all that much depth. I kinda hoped for a subplot or something about class and land rights of the era, but despite the film's longer-than-average runtime, it never materialized. The characters, as such, don't get to really address or even mention the cruelty that sets the plot in motion. It just feels kind of weird that this wasn't used as an opportunity to further flesh out the story.
The ending is also kind of underwhelming and abrupt. There's a connection to the first scene of the movie that doesn't really amount to anything either.
The Ugly: After a few years of straight-to-streaming schlock, The Cursed is a celebration of the good ol fashioned, ornate gothic horror.
