‘The Damned’ Review: A Chilly Horror-Drama That Clings to Its Atmosphere for as Long as It Can
variety.comSiddhant Adlakha A vicious 19th-century morality play that gives way to psychological horror, Thordur Palsson‘s “The Damned” draws on Icelandic folklore to create a tale of paranoia and superstition in an isolated outpost.
A tiny fishing village plays host to the pressing question of whether to rescue a sinking ship nearby. The fishermen’s decisions in the wake of this terror from afar bring home their fears and regrets in a story told through dreams and shadows that, while often repetitive in its approach, is still effectively told.
Young widow Eva (Odessa Young) is left in charge of her husband’s fishing boat, which she lends to the town’s gruff fishermen while retaining decision-making ability.
The village is surrounded by snow and icy waters, so every choice and every ration counts. The townspeople mostly get along, singing drinking and fishing songs by gas lamps in their cramped pub, but tensions seem to simmer just beneath this pristine surface in the form of masculine rivalries and notions of strength as survival.
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