The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Fund us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Cannes
      • Sundance London
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Tumblr

  • RSS


CinemaMovie reviews

Blackwood

Blackwood | Movie review
25 July 2014
Miriam Karmali
Miriam Karmali
Avatar
Miriam Karmali
25 July 2014

Movie and show review

Miriam Karmali

Blackwood

★★★★★

Release date

1st August 2014

Certificate

UPG121518 title=

Links

TwitterFacebookWebsite

Blackwood is a refreshingly dark take on a mostly saturated genre as it explores the depths and dangers of falling into a narcissistic melancholia. At first, the films overused horror tactics seem like its only objective is to get an immediate reaction from the audience, but towards the end it is made clear that these basic cinematic conventions for suspense films culminates in the story of a family drama; an all too real horror for some. 

blackwood-poster Dominic’s insanity is entirely his own, unlike in various Hollywood horrors in which the problem is seen to lie with  supernatural forces beyond the protagonists’ control. Throughout the first half of the film the beautiful cinematography of impressive autumnal landscapes make up for the lacklustre performances. However, Blackwood maintains a level of interest as Adam Wimpenny successfully manages to incorporate relatable issues such as abuse into the supernatural thriller. 


The film begins with shots of creaking cogs, rain dripping, darkness and tree branches, questioning the psychology behind what we fear and why we fear it. These overused motifs in suspense thrillers are contrasted with the end of the film and the reality of the disintegration of the family. Obsession, paranoia and narcissism are the character’s ultimate enemies and through Dominic, we see the immensely destructive results of these attributes that in the end lead to his demise. 

Although the main character is extremely unlikeable and some of the performances somewhat wooden, Blackwood is an ultimately interesting combination of genres that plays on our deepest and most attainable fears; it is not ghosts and demons that we should be afraid of but ourselves. 

★★★★★

Miriam Karmali

Blackwood is released nationwide on 1st August 2014.

Watch the trailer for Blackwood here:

Related Itemsblackwood

More in Movie reviews

Every Day

★★★★★
Catherine Sedgwick
Read More

Big Fish and Begonia

★★★★★
Chloe Sizer
Read More

Funny Cow

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More

Let the Sunshine In

★★★★★
Euan Franklin
Read More

The Leisure Seeker

★★★★★
Daniel Amir
Read More

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

★★★★★
Euan Franklin
Read More

Truth or Dare

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More

The Titan

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Rampage

★★★★★
Catherine Sedgwick
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

Miriam Karmali

Blackwood

★★★★★

Release date

1st August 2014

Certificate

UPG121518 title=

Links

TwitterFacebookWebsite

Tickets

Theatre tickets

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Hide in Mayfair: Dabbous raises the bar of informal fine dining with his new restaurant
    ★★★★★
    Food & Drinks
  • Gregory Porter at the Royal Albert Hall
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • The Vaccines and Whenyoung at Alexandra Palace
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Bat Out of Hell at the Dominion Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Every Day
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Project Gastronomía: How will Londoners eat in 2015? A symposium on gastronomy and multisensory design
    Food & Drinks
  • Tribeca Film Festival 2018: On the red carpet with the stars of Westworld season 2
    Cinema
  • Bat Out of Hell at the Dominion Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Hinds at Electric Brixton
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Faceless
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Bat Out of Hell at the Dominion Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Hinds at Electric Brixton
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Half Breed
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Education, Education, Education at Shoreditch Town Hall
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Gregory Porter at the Royal Albert Hall
    ★★★★★
    Live music

Instagram

Something is wrong. Response takes too long or there is JS error. Press Ctrl+Shift+J or Cmd+Shift+J on a Mac.
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Fund us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • New London restaurant openings and pop-ups
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Subscribe
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2018 FL Media Ltd

The Congress | Movie review
We Gotta Get Out of This Place | Movie review