In turn-of-the-century Britain, Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens) goes to a remote Welsh island to find his sister who’s been kidnapped by a religious cult. The Raid (2012) director Gareth Evans delivers a bloody yarn with supernatural overtones about a former missionary’s attempt to infiltrate a cult that’s worshipping a mysterious goddess. Intriguing at first, gory and exciting near the end, but far too often this is a muddled and unappealing horror-thriller, with a wooden lead character. Certainly earthy approach, if you’re looking for that, but the goddess is a wasted ingredient.
2018-Britain-U.S. 130 min. Color. Widescreen. Written, directed and edited by Gareth Evans. Cast: Dan Stevens (Thomas Richardson), Michael Sheen (Malcolm Howe), Mark Lewis Jones (Quinn), Paul Higgins, Lucy Boynton, Bill Milner.
Trivia: Co-produced by Evans. First shown at the Fantastic Fest film festival, then released on Netflix.
