Genuinely speaking, I don’t want to condone a movie, but the trance, anxiety, and dread that Thordur Palsson creates with his directorial debut, The Damned, needs to be studied as A Clockwork Orange-style of torture. This movie is the one of the most haunting, beautiful, disturbed movies I’ve seen in a long time, and the powerhouse performances contained in the film will be discussed far past any viewing. Simply put, The Damned is one of the most unexpected gems of the year and is going to linger with audiences long after the credits roll. While the premise of the movie may seem like something seen before, what unfolds in these 89 minutes is surely something so eerie and uncomfortable that a cold shower will be needed after the film ends.
L-R: Joe Cole as Daniel and Odessa Young as Eva in THE DAMNED. Photo courtesy of Protagonist Pictures.
The film focuses on Eva (Odessa Young) who is a widow in the 19th century and lives amongst the men of this rather isolated Icelandic fishing village. In a particularly cruel winter, one that no one thinks they can survive, the crew of Daniel (Joe Cole), Helga (Siobhan Finneran), Ragnar (Rory McCann), Hakon (Turlough Convery), Jonas (Lewis Gribben), Skuli (Francis Magee), and Aron (Michael Og Lane) all share old tales of superstitions and stories that set the mood for the anxiety-fueled dread that fills the screen and story for the subsequent 75-odd minutes. However, what comes next is something truly unexpected and brings forth even more unhinged terror which will sit with the audience throughout the feature and long after the credits.
Odessa Young as Eva in THE DAMNED. Photo courtesy of Protagonist Pictures.
One night, they notice a crew on the water trying to get to safety, potentially their island, but the horrific winter proves to be much more than they can handle, and they end up endangered. With provisions running low for the islanders and fisherman already, Eva and the fishing crew are faced with a decision — save the crew and potentially risk all of their lives or make the hard decision and let them perish in nature. Later, Eva stumbles across a barrel of goods and the collective agrees to go out into the water and see if they can find more provisions. However, what comes next is where the horror and trauma starts. The fishermen that went overboard are alive and want to be saved. However, if they attempt to board the small fishing boat Eva and the crew went out on, it will capsize and everyone will perish.
The next morning, they lay to rest to dead, but, in fashion of believing the stories and curses, they tie the bodies up in the caskets to ensure they cannot escape and are truly laid to rest. Things start to get disturbing and eerie on the isolated island, making Eva and Daniel, along with the others, especially Helga, believe the dead aren’t in fact dead and a demon possessor has taken over and is haunting them for their decisions. The only way to defeat this entity is to set it on fire. With tensions flaring, the isolation starting to set in, and the sheer guilt of their actions, things are not always as they seem and the existential fear seeps deep into the audience’s core and creates a powerhouse of a film to not be missed.
Before getting into the nitty gritty of it all though, I would be remised if I didn’t talk about the pure genius that is Stephen McKeon (Evil Dead Rise; Apocalypse Clown). The score in The Damned is almost an additional member of the cast itself; it is haunting and tormenting and brings a new level of anxiety and dread to the forefront of the film. There are so many musical moments and just audio elements that add another haunting element to the film overall. It’s such a brilliant score which terrifies the audience into a whole new level of disturbing essence atop of the performances.
Joe Cole as Daniel in THE DAMNED. Photo courtesy of Protagonist Pictures.
Speaking of the performances, though, it is Odessa Young’s (Assassination Nation; Shirley) world and the audience is just living in it. To see someone so young command such attention in a movie (not the first time she’s accomplished this feat, mind you) is nothing shy of impressive. Her performance in the film is genuinely so haunting and brilliant that if this was not in a horror movie, she would be in conversation come February (this is solely a commentary on the Academy not recognizing horror movies when it comes to acting). Absolute sheer brilliance coming from Odessa Young that cannot be combated in any way shape or form. Joe Cole (Green Room; Woodshock), as well, is terrific in a much more devastating, muted role. He has to carry everything on his shoulders in a different way from Young, but exemplifies such horror and tension in his eyes and performance. These two are forces to be reckoned with and they propel the brilliant story and direction further to excellence.
Odessa Young as Eva in THE DAMNED. Photo courtesy of Protagonist Pictures.
If Thordur Palsson can continue to direct and write the way that he did in The Damned for a feature, he will become a force to be reckoned with in the industry for years to come. There is something holistically terrifying and daunting about the world he crafts, which Odessa Young and Joe Cole magnificently bring to life. The Damned truly is one of the most haunting, psychologically damning movies to come out in quite some time and will leave the audience breathless long after the screen fades to black.
Screening during Tribeca Film Festival 2024.
In theaters January 3rd, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Tribeca 2024 The Damned webpage.
Final Score: 4.5 out of 5.
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Categories: Films To Watch, In Theaters, Recommendation, Reviews
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