A Modern Horror Thriller That Will Have You Looking Over Your Shoulder

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MOVIE REVIEW
The Domestic
NR/TV-14 –

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Drama
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 1h 56m
Director(s): Bradley Katzen
Writer(s): Bradley Katzen
Cast: Thuli Thabethe, Amanda Du-Pont, Tumisho Masha, Zane Meas, Linda Sebezo, Andile Mbatha, Faith Baloyi
Where To Watch: available in select theaters & On Demand October 21, 2022

RAVING REVIEW: A film that felt eerily familiar and had an overwhelming sense of dread dripping over it.

While I wasn’t familiar with Writer/Director Bradley Katzen, or any of the cast, they managed to put together a film that worked so well on many levels. The feeling of dread was so genuine while watching, and I legitimately felt uncertain multiple times throughout, and that says something remarkable for a modern horror film.

While the story felt familiar, I couldn’t think of any specific comparison. I was impressed with the pacing of the story. Coming in at an almost two-hour runtime, I feel some of the runtime could’ve been trimmed down slightly. However, I didn’t feel it while watching the movie; there’s something about a horror/thriller in an upper-class house that keeps you on edge.

I don’t think there’s anything scarier than when the threat is from within; it’s ironic because some of the notes on the film compare it to GET OUT and HEREDITARY. I think it parallels US more than GET OUT, but I can see where the comparisons to HEREDITARY come from.

I think that the writing in the film was nearly as important as any of the visuals on screen. Several times I was drawn into some deep dialogue that was a steady back and forth between characters. The action and horror elements help to counter that and give everyone a little something to sink their teeth into.

This film was shot during the pandemic, with restrictions in place. I feel like that alone is a remarkable accomplishment. There were so many films that knew how important what they were doing was. Their passion and dedication to filmmaking have kept us with a steady flow of film choices, even coming out on the better side of the pandemic.

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