A rather original premise, but the movie has three problems:
1. The direction isn't stylish enough. In the hands of a more creative director this could have worked.
2. The pace is too slow, the first half isn't very interesting. A lot of is haunted house cliches, nonsensical scenes.
3. The story is too muddled. So many questions.
Why does the American not meet any of the other abductees? She only meets the first one, the girl, yet there were at least 20 envelopes i.e. that many disappeared people.
What does the old hag have to gain? Is it just the money? If the priest is so guilt-ridden why did he not rebel years earlier? Why now? If he felt guilty already about the first girl - which unintentionally disappeared - then why would he actually CONTINUE doing this? How did this man even get entangled in such a satanic plot? Nobody seems to be forcing him to. There seems to be a major discrepancy between his personality and what he's doing. A remorseful "serial-disappearer"? Sure, why not.
Why did they invite a female artist all the way from America? The little missing girl from 1986 was NOT an artist, so why the hell do the priest and the old hag need an artist? Do they always lull just artists? Can't they just put out an add searching for an artist's model? Can't they just pick up hitch-hikers like other serial-killers do? Are we actually supposed to believe that ALL the disappeared people left home without telling anyone where they'd gone to? NONE of them mentioned the mansion to anyone prior to leaving? Very convenient - for the writer I mean.
Who the hell answers a phone call without a listed number then believes everything the mystery person says? The American seems way too naive, stupid even. She travels all the way from America without even telling anyone she'd gone to Ireland! Some aspects of this conspiracy are very far-fetched, and seem reliant on luck more than cunning.
The "other world" seems rather unspectacular, it's just Ireland minus the houses and buildings. Underwhelming, but that's mainly the director's fault who actually thought he could get away with such a mundane netherworld. The American just strolls through this world and we're supposed to be mesmerized? The direction isn't stylish enough to fascinate. The female lead is bland and uninteresting.
But at least it's not mono-colour. Not ugly as most modern horror films are.
1. The direction isn't stylish enough. In the hands of a more creative director this could have worked.
2. The pace is too slow, the first half isn't very interesting. A lot of is haunted house cliches, nonsensical scenes.
3. The story is too muddled. So many questions.
Why does the American not meet any of the other abductees? She only meets the first one, the girl, yet there were at least 20 envelopes i.e. that many disappeared people.
What does the old hag have to gain? Is it just the money? If the priest is so guilt-ridden why did he not rebel years earlier? Why now? If he felt guilty already about the first girl - which unintentionally disappeared - then why would he actually CONTINUE doing this? How did this man even get entangled in such a satanic plot? Nobody seems to be forcing him to. There seems to be a major discrepancy between his personality and what he's doing. A remorseful "serial-disappearer"? Sure, why not.
Why did they invite a female artist all the way from America? The little missing girl from 1986 was NOT an artist, so why the hell do the priest and the old hag need an artist? Do they always lull just artists? Can't they just put out an add searching for an artist's model? Can't they just pick up hitch-hikers like other serial-killers do? Are we actually supposed to believe that ALL the disappeared people left home without telling anyone where they'd gone to? NONE of them mentioned the mansion to anyone prior to leaving? Very convenient - for the writer I mean.
Who the hell answers a phone call without a listed number then believes everything the mystery person says? The American seems way too naive, stupid even. She travels all the way from America without even telling anyone she'd gone to Ireland! Some aspects of this conspiracy are very far-fetched, and seem reliant on luck more than cunning.
The "other world" seems rather unspectacular, it's just Ireland minus the houses and buildings. Underwhelming, but that's mainly the director's fault who actually thought he could get away with such a mundane netherworld. The American just strolls through this world and we're supposed to be mesmerized? The direction isn't stylish enough to fascinate. The female lead is bland and uninteresting.
But at least it's not mono-colour. Not ugly as most modern horror films are.