The Reel Review
This psychological horror from the late Polish writer/director Marcin Wrona (who committed suicide as this film was in competition during the Gdynia Film Festival in 2015) is a stylish take on the Jewish legend of the dybbuk, in which a malicious spirit of a dead person possesses the living – in this instance, a bridegroom who accidentally releases the spirit of a dead woman on the eve of his wedding. Technical aspects of the film are well done – compelling visuals of the Polish countryside, an increasingly creepy mood, the juxtaposition of dark humor (wedding guests celebrating amidst the groom’s possession), an excellent performance by lead actor Itay Tiran, and an excellent score. The unconventional story requires the viewer to pay close attention, as it opts for more subtle (yet effective) horror and a creepy mood over the more standard jump scares. Despite veering off into some pretty strange, nonsensical territory in the second half, this is still worth a see by fans of thought-provoking psychological horror.
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