Review: Apostle

Directed by Gareth Evans

Starring Dan Stevens, Lucy Boynton

The plot follows a man who travels to a remote island to search for his missing sister after she is kidnapped by a murderous religious cult

Been excited for this since I've seen the trailer, coming from the same director who did The Raid films, which are praised for its fight choreography and action scenes. This is his first take on modern horror, and oh boy it was quite good, and it was pretty bloody and gory as well.

The film was pretty entertaining and was pretty disturbing as sinister cults go. The movie is strange, it's frightening as moments, and delivers its narrative through bloodshed without holding the audience's hand. While the blood and gore can be considered 'over the top', I believe it was necessary to discomfit the audience in order for them to feel impacted by the film. The performances were great and the tone was dark and dictated brilliantly.

The film was beautifully shot with its cinematography done brilliantly by Matt Flannery. The music kept me immersed within the tense atmosphere of the film, and the visuals/imagery were stunning and filled with lore. Its issues are shown with its plot. The plot often drags out and can be confusing at times with the film's running time being 2 hours and 9 minutes long.

In conclusion, the film's brutal and entertaining, but it isn't flawless. It may not be the best horror film, it may not even be the best Evans film, but it certainly isn't the worst, and I for one can truly appreciate this breath of fresh air in the horror genre. So if you are in the mood for some dark, twisted, bloody, brutal action, then look no further to Apostle, which can be streamed from the comfort of your couch or bed on Netflix.

My rating: 7.5/10

#FilmReview #2018