As a massive fan of director Gareth Evans and his two RAID masterpieces, I was eagerly awaited his much-delayed next feature. But it turns out that APOSTLE is a very different beast altogether, and nowhere near as satisfying as those pulse-pounding masterpieces. It's a perfectly acceptable watch as a film, but there's no denying that this is a derivative and minor work, in which the storyline feels stretched out to fit the two hour running time. The obvious inspiration here is THE WICKER MAN but I was surprised to see this turning GAME OF THRONES lite in the second half. The first hour is a definite slow burner and very well directed, although Dan Stevens is a bit over the top as the protagonist. The second half is quite bitty, featuring some decent set-pieces, action and gore effects, but feeling disappointingly thin overall. The supporting cast put in assured performances but once every slightest bit of mystery is explained the film loses its mystique and the supernatural elements never really gel with the story of human jealousy and rivalry. I'd say that APOSTLE's worth a watch, but it's not one I'd be in a hurry to revisit.
Review of Apostle
