Ya know, I’m just going to say it – fuck critics y’all! I saw this movie get absolutely panned around the interwebs and almost never watched it. Nonetheless, on a recent late and stormy night horror binge I decided, “what the hell”, let’s give it a watch. I thoroughly enjoyed this cosmic horror in the heart of the forest.

The film opens with our heroine, Lennon (Georgina Campbell, Barbarian, T.I.M., The Watchers), a freshly minted park ranger with a dark past. She’s off to a national park that should probably be shut down for all the disappearances on its record, but hey, it’s America, where we love our haunted landscapes. Lennon’s got her own agenda, though. She’s not just here to hug trees; she’s trying to unravel the mystery of her sister’s disappearance in these very woods years ago. It’s a setup that hooks you right from the start—a mix of personal stakes and the eerie unknown lurking in the wild.

What’s great about Lovely Dark and Deep is how it pulls you into its world. The forest isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a living, breathing character with secrets of its own. As Lennon delves deeper into the woods, the lines between reality and nightmare begin to blur, and you’re right there with her, feeling every unsettling twist and turn.

This film isn’t just about things that go bump in the night. It’s a thoughtful exploration of grief and trauma, with Lennon’s journey serving as both a physical and emotional trek through her own haunted past. The way the film intertwines these themes with its supernatural elements is nothing short of impressive. You’ll find yourself invested not just in the scares, but in Lennon’s quest for closure.

Lovely Dark and Deep is a film that knows how to use its atmosphere to build tension. It’s not about jump scares or gore; it’s about the slow, creeping dread that comes from knowing something isn’t quite right, even if you can’t put your finger on it. And when the film finally reveals its hand, it’s both shocking and satisfyingly eerie.

Teresa Sutherland (screenwriter of The Wind), in her directorial debut, brings a fresh and compelling voice to the horror genre. She’s crafted a film that’s both visually stunning and narratively rich. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the story to unfold gradually, which might test your patience at times, but it’s worth the wait. Sutherland knows how to build suspense, and she does it with a quiet confidence that’s rare in horror today.

The writing, too, is effective and layered. There’s a depth to the dialogue and the character interactions that makes you care about what’s happening. Sutherland doesn’t spoon-feed you answers; instead, she lets the mystery simmer, which keeps you engaged and guessing right up until the end.

If there’s one thing that truly elevates Lovely Dark and Deep, it’s Georgina Campbell’s performance. This film truly does her acting chops justice unlike The Watchers later this year. She brings a raw vulnerability to Lennon that makes her both relatable and compelling. Campbell’s portrayal of a woman on the edge, grappling with her past while facing the unknown, is nothing short of captivating.

Her performance is subtle. She doesn’t need to scream or flail to convey terror; it’s all in her eyes, her posture, her silence. You can feel Lennon’s fear and determination in every scene, and it’s this emotional grounding that makes the film’s more surreal moments hit that much harder.

One of the standout elements of Lovely Dark and Deep is its cinematography. Shot in the lush forests of Portugal, the film is visually gorgeous. Cinematographer Rui Poças has a keen eye for capturing the natural beauty of the wilderness while also imbuing it with an underlying sense of menace. The way the film plays with light and shadow is particularly effective. Whether it’s the sun filtering through the trees in a rare moment of peace or the pitch-black night where anything could be hiding, the visuals are always striking. The forest feels alive, both inviting and dangerous, and it’s this duality that adds to the film’s tension.

Lovely Dark and Deep is a film that excels in creating an immersive atmosphere. From the very first frame, you’re drawn into its world—a world where the past and present collide in unsettling ways. The slow-burn approach might not be for everyone, but for those who appreciate a film that takes its time to build dread, this one’s a gem.

Georgina Campbell’s performance is another major strength. She’s the heart and soul of the film, and she brings a depth to Lennon that makes the character’s journey both believable and poignant. And let’s not forget the stunning cinematography, which turns the forest into a character all its own.

While there’s a lot to love about Lovely Dark and Deep, it’s not without its flaws. The pacing, as mentioned, is slow—deliberately so. This works to the film’s advantage in terms of building tension, but it might test the patience of viewers used to more fast-paced horror. However, if you stick with it, the payoff is well worth it for me.

My assumption regarding the divisiveness of this film is its surreal nature and ambiguity. Explicit answers are not provided. Nonetheless, what remains unsaid is quite interesting. There seems to be hints at an underlying conspiracy amongst the park rangers. They are maintaining a dark secret about the wilderness. The unknown, untamed wilderness was where the Devil resided. Where witches built their dens. So, the evolution of fear of vast, unyielding nature is fascinating. Most recently, this has manifested in the Missing 411 archives assembled by David Paulides. Another example might be the staircase in the woods creepypasta. I love that the film is playing off of these mysteries and that the solution appears to be an ancient, inter-dimensional, malevolent being beyond the comprehension of humans. A truly cosmic horror.

Lovely Dark and Deep is a film that lingers with you long after the credits roll. It’s not your typical horror flick; it’s a thoughtful, atmospheric exploration of grief and the unknown, wrapped in a visually stunning package. Teresa Sutherland has crafted a debut that shows great promise, and Georgina Campbell’s performance is one that deserves all the praise it’s getting.

If you’re a fan of horror that’s more about mood and atmosphere than cheap thrills, Lovely Dark and Deep is a must-watch. It’s a film that invites you to get lost in its world—just be prepared to stay a while, because it’s a journey that doesn’t let you go easily.