From the very start of period lycanthrope horror The Cursed, there is clearly an attempt to cover new ground for werewolf movies.
We know the folklore about being bit, the curse of the werewolf and silver bullets, but is there more to it?
In rural France in the 19th century, we meet a village that becomes besieged by a supernatural entity, with a pathologist sent in to investigate and prevent further bloodshed.
The pathologist angle, gives The Cursed a plot strand very similar to Sleepy Hollow, although the expert here is much more useful than Ichabod Crane.
The Cursed is also visceral and gory and doesn’t hold back once the beast is unleashed. No one is safe from the bloodshed.
It is beautifully shot, and is very reminiscent of recent period pieces such as The VVitch and The Revenant, with the colour drained out of scenes until the blood starts flying.
The film is overly long, clocking in at 1 hour 50 minutes, as there are some unnecessary sideplots that could have easily been trimmed.
The werewolf tale is one that horror will constantly revisit, but none lately have been as bold as The Cursed.
Its slow burn quality won’t be for everyone, but it is certainly entertaining and engrossing for the majority.
Bloody Flicks 