The Wretched Review: An underrated horror movie that delivers

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Is The Wretched a horror movie worth watching?

Plot and Characters

The Wretched revolves around the main character, named Ben, a young teenager who is spending the summer with his dad at a beach house, but little does he know, he will soon find himself facing a thousand-year-old witch that preys on children's souls. 

Ben's summer situation sets the stage for the story as he navigates the challenges of being a teenager while also dealing with the pressures of his dad's expectations and his own personal growth. 

He's juggling a lot in his life without having to put up with a witch, who needs that on top of everything else?

As he works at the marina, he encounters a cast of characters, including the local bully, his crush, and the love interest, you gets a glimpse into the familiarity of these characters in the horror genre.

The cast of characters mirrors the archetypes we often see in horror films and is like classic horror movie bingo, from the bully to the love interest, and similar to the movie Cabin in the Woods, these characters could easily fit into a rom-com or a slasher film, but instead, they find themselves facing a terrifying ancient witch.

Suspense and Disturbing Elements

One of the best aspects of the movie is its ability to create suspense and deliver disturbing elements throughout the movie. 

The protagonist spends his time trying to uncover the truth about his neighbor, and as the investigation unfolds, you are taken on a suspenseful journey, culminating in the revelation of the witch's existence.

It pays homage to classics like Jaws by balancing calm moments with intense horror scenes, creating a sense of anticipation and unease.

The witch itself is a truly disturbing entity, combining elements of the Blair Witch and the shadow figure Diana from the Lights Out movies.

 Its grotesque appearance and nature make it a terrifying antagonist. 

Pacing and References

The pacing in the movie resembles that of the classic film Jaws, as mentioned above. 

Just like in Jaws, this movie combines moments of calm with intense horror scenes, effectively building suspense, and these calm moments lull you into a false sense of security before the next terrifying attack or revelation occurs. 

It also utilizes references to other films and pulls from various genres, including rom-coms, slashers, and movies like Disturbia . 

The Wretched taps into your familiarity with these genres and creates a sense of nostalgia, and these references not only pay homage to the movies that came before but also add depth and richness to the story.

Final Words 

The Wretched is pretty underrated horror movie in my view, it only has 5.8 on IMDB as of right now, which is OK, but I think it deserves a bit higher. 

It has a decent blend of genres and references to iconic movies and the pacing, suspense, and disturbing elements kept me engaged and is a movie I recommend. 

And if you find your neighbor acting weird, go and check it out, you never really know, do you?

I would rate this film 68% on my horror movie nerd-o-meter.

[Where to watch The Wretched]

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