The thrilling debut feature from Rose Glass is a slow-burning, horrific dive into Maud’s (Morfydd Clark) tortured and distressed psyche.
With what can be described as having some of the most truly unsettling and disturbing images I’ve seen all year, Saint Maud is a tense and masterfully crafted film, which considering its Glass’s debut makes it even more astonishing. The performance on show from Clark, partnered with the eerie score and subtle imagery, make for a truly terrifying experience.
I have not seen a horror film in recent memory that bookends the film with such truly disturbing imagery, and then fits in such a poetic and timeless narrative in between. Glass manages to commit a superb balancing act between gothic horror and psychological drama extraordinarily well, and the film ramps up from the first minute to the last.
Saint Maud is a simple film yet a complex one. It’s a slow-burner, which means if you’re expecting a scare a minute horror film – this one is not for you. However, if you’re willing to commit to the character of Maud, played exquisitely by Clark, then you are in for a disturbingly wild ride.
The film opens in UK cinemas Friday 9th October.
Author: James Reilly
I'm an avid film maker and fan, currently studying film production at Portsmouth University.
