DAMNED, THE

(director/writer: Thordur Palsson; screenwriters: James Hannigan/story by Palsson; cinematographer: Eli Arenson; editors: Tony Cranstoun, Nathan Nugent; music: Stephen McKeon; cast: Odessa Young (Eva), Helga (Siobhan Finneran), Daníel (Joe Cole), Ragnar (Rory McCann), Skuli (Francis Magee), Hakón (Turlough Convery), Aron (Mícheál Óg Lane), Jonas (Lewis Gribben); Runtime: 89; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Emilie Jouffroy, Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl, John Keville, Conor Barry, Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Nate Kamiya; Elation Pictures/Vertical; 2024-U.S.-UK-Iceland-Ireland-Belgium-in English)

“Young’s commanding performance is most effective when the pic stays the course without becoming repetitive.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

First-time director Thordur Palsson and writer James Hannigan impressively adapt to the screen this morality play, which takes the form of a supernatural folk horror tale based on the story by Palsson. It’s set in 1870, in a snow-covered, isolated small fishing village outpost in Iceland.


The fisherman husband of Eve (Odessa Young) died last year. The young widow during the brutally cold winter season when food is scarce, leads her late husband’s gruff but obedient male fishing crew-Daníel (Joe Cole), Ragnar (Rory McCann), Skuli (Francis Magee), Hakón (Turlough Convery), Aron (Mícheál Óg Lane), and Jonas (Lewis Gribben). When they spot while  on land a shipwreck that crashed against the rocks in the distance, they decide not to risk looking for survivors in the icy water and stay ashore to preserve their limited food supply and not feed any strangers who might have survived.
 

But bizarre things start happening that leads to jump scares, violence, the crew turning against one another, and a sense of dread at the outpost. The superstitious crew believe the attacks are coming from the mythological vengeful Norse gods of the draugr.


The well-scored, well-acted and beautifully photographed atmospheric film leaves us with a sense of unease.

All is well and good, until it becomes too talky and offers too much exposition, as it loses some of its tension. But this is an old-fashioned, competently made period horror pic, one that moves along at a quick pace and is entertaining.


Young’s commanding performance, revealing her inner guilt-trip and keen survival instincts, is most effective when the pic stays the course without becoming repetitive. Otherwise it flounders over its weak characterizations, and its too sudden and unfulfilling ending.


It played at the Tribeca Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 5/15/2025  GRADE: B
dennisschwartzreviews.com