The Dark and the Wicked

Directed by Bryan Bertino, The Dark and the Wicked follows siblings Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbott Jr.) as they return to their parents’ isolated farmhouse to be with their dying father – with horror ensuing after it becomes progressively clear that someone (or something) is terrorizing the family. Filmmaker Bertino certainly does a nice job of establishing a spooky, atmospheric vibe that is, at the outset, rather promising, and there’s little doubt, too, that the picture benefits substantially from its ongoing emphasis on creepy imagery and an undercurrent of palpable suspense (ie just what is the threat, exactly). It’s disappointing to note, then, that The Dark and the Wicked suffers from a generally stagnant midsection that’s compounded by an often excessively deliberate execution (ie Bertino really pushes the slow-burn aesthetic), with the lack of logic surrounding the villain’s motives (ie why does it spend so much time toying with the protagonists) undoubtedly perpetuating the increasingly arms-length feel. The viewer’s inability to work up any real interest in or sympathy for the central characters’ plight ultimately diminishes the impact of the comparatively engaging final stretch, although the entirely anticlimactic conclusion does ensure that the whole thing ends on a distressingly underwhelming note – which cements The Dark and the Wicked‘s place as a well-made yet mostly uninvolving horror endeavor.

** out of ****