Title: The Severed Sun
MPAA Rating: Not Yet Rated
Director: Dean Puckett
Starring: Toby Stephens, Jodhi May, Emma Appleton
Runtime: 1 hr 20 mins

What It Is: There’s something wrong with Magpie (Emma Appleton), the pastor’s daughter. Everyone in the isolated church community senses it, especially after the brutal death of her husband. The pastor (Toby Stephens) makes excuses for her, but the community knows something malevolent lurks within Magpie, and the town is on the verge of unraveling because of it. Can the pastor regain control over his increasingly paranoid flock? And what exactly does Magpie do deep in the woods during her free time? So many questions, yet the answers remain unclear. One thing is certain: the pastor must act quickly, or his daughter may face execution by an angry mob.

What We Think: Great writing and acting prove you don’t need an extravagant budget to make an exceptional horror film. Man, oh man. This was really well done. From the opening murder scene, the movie grabbed my attention and held it. I’m not usually a fan of religious horror—perhaps due to my own personal beliefs, or lack thereof—but the genre tends to be hit or miss for me. This one is an absolute hit. Of all the films I watched at Fantastic Fest, this one lingers with me the most. A huge part of why it works is how morally murky it is. Often, the genre revolves around a clear battle between good and evil, but this film doesn’t present such a straightforward conflict. It’s more nuanced and complex, and if you know anything about me as a writer or moviegoer, you know that’s what I live for in fiction: gray morality. Normally, in a film like this, you’d expect the pastor to be either a cartoonish, holier-than-thou villain or a righteous hero. This film does neither.

Toby Stephens’ portrayal of the pastor has the nuance of a character from Deadwood or The Sopranos. He’s the leader of a religious community, but he’s also realistic in his expectations and, interestingly, fully aware of his control over the people. We see him actively trying to balance the politics of the community while still protecting his daughter. He’s not a good guy, but you can’t completely hate him either. Part of that is thanks to Toby Stephens’ fantastic performance, but it’s also because the character is just very, very well written. Emma Appleton as Magpie is another standout. She’s a protagonist you can both root for and be terrified of. She’s likable and justified enough for us to side with her, but she’s also fraternizing with dark, unexplainable forces that maim people. The community has legitimate reasons to fear her. She uses her powers for “good,” but it’s hard to deny her connection to a dark supernatural entity that tears people to shreds.

This is character-driven horror done right. I truly believe that horror is scariest when it relies on its characters and strong acting, rather than cheap jump scares. If you can make me believe that someone is in genuine danger, it’s far more harrowing than a spooky ghost jumping out of a corner, like half the stuff Blumhouse churns out.

Movies like this give me hope for the future of horror. While it can be a schlocky genre, when done right, it’s oh so sweet. In retrospect, this may be one of my favorite films of the festival. Minimal effects, just a damn good story and solid acting. Bravissimo.

Our Grade: A+, I really want to watch this movie again, and that alone speaks volumes about how I feel. This one has me giddy, which is hard to do.