The Damned (2024) Review

The Damned (2024) Review

Starring Odessa Young (THE STAIRCASE, MOTHERING SUNDAY) and Joe Cole (PEAKY BLINDERS, GANGES OF LONDON), THE DAMNED is a tense psychological horror film that follows 19th-century widow, Eva. Tasked with making an impossible choice when a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing outpost during the middle of an especially cruel winter.

With provisions running low, Eva and her close-knit community must choose between rescuing the shipwrecked crew and prioritizing their own survival. Facing the consequences of their decision and tormented by guilt, the inhabitants wrestle with a mounting sense of dread and begin to believe they are all being punished for their choices.

Following its premiere in November, the Cork International Film Festival 2024 awarded an Honourable Mention to THE DAMNED commenting ‘THE DAMNED is a juggernaut of a film, breathing fresh life into a well-trodden genre. Its powerful use of the landscape and compelling performances make it truly deserving of this Special Mention.’

Director Thordur Palsson (THE VALHALLA MURDERS), himself a native Icelander, it was this folklore and mythology that led him to develop the idea that would later become The Damned. Growing up in Iceland, family members would often share gruesome tales of ghosts, demons, and evil spirits.

As he recalls: ‘Every Icelander has heard all kinds of different variations of the truth – all elements of our history that have been passed down. One of these stories was about a ship that sank off the shores of Iceland, with all survivors being killed by the natives. Having known of this, I started to write a story relating to it and kept fleshing it out, adding darker elements.’

Snow-bound chillers all tend to remind in some way of JOHN CARPENTER’S THE THING. OK, so there’s no shape-changing alien entity in the mix here, but there is an isolated icy location that houses a small group of people away from the rest of civilisation and there’s also the suggestion that there’s something supernatural in their midst. This adds in an element of paranoia much like in the aforementioned 1982 classic.

THE DAMNED starts well but around its midway point becomes repetitive and also all too apparent as to the path we are being led down. Consequently, our interest levels ease down. On the plus side the ensemble acting is excellent, and the harsh landscape is perfectly captured by cinematographer Eli Arenson in all its unforgiving, bleak yet still breath-taking beauty, essentially becoming an extra character.

Watch trailer here: