Soul Destroying

Rating: 8/10 (17 October 2018)

Seldom does a film this esoteric happen. And I think that this shall not appeal to everyone. But that is the point of making a difference. The horror genre has become very frivolous in later years. And I doubt enough people can appreciate the sophisticated subtlety & introspective nature of a film which aims to create a mood, a spyglass into the past, & with devastatingly convincing performances from the 4 main characters. So it is no surprise to me that this gets underappreciated.
The film has me in tears every time I watch it about every 7 years. And as I get older, & regret my life choices, I can't help but let it scar me a little deeper each time. I suppose it feels very real to my own situation; lonely, heart broken, unable to move on, & destitute. It carefully switches from the suspense of being haunted, to the heart rending return of a lost loved war veteran; a father & husband. The music is exasperating in its' effectiveness. And you feel very trapped in this River Styx with them.
This is not an easy watch. Not in terms of gore, horror, or violence. But because you can't help but pity each & every character. Especially the children, who spend much of the time on screen distressed. And are ultimately subjected to the worst scenario you can think of, through no fault of their own.
There's a part where the husband breaks down in to tears as he realizes that he may have triggered the series of events by failing to profess all love for his family by going to fight in the war. It's a harsh scene that is doubly felt the second time round.
If I ever watch this film again, I shall be 44 years old. I doubt I'll reach that age! But if I do, this film might be the end of me ha ha!
Thankfully I don't believe in ghosts, gods, & gravestones. But I do believe in the imagination. And where that is concerned, all involved with this film did a fine job.