A Dark Song (2016) - Liam Gavin
(spoiler free)
One of only a handful of genuine occult (for want of a better world) films ever made.
As a film I would say it is a success. The hidden motivations of the two main characters and the shifting nature of their reality comes through nicely. The film is shot well and the score is effective.
It must be said though, the film will be very slow and tough going for the general viewer.
A woman manages to hire a working "practitioner" to achieve her goal.
She has her mind set on the "Abramelin" working . . .
If you are not hooked now, I would say a very large part of the experience will be lost on you.
Now, the film is marketed as Drama/Horror.
It has certainly got the drama but its the horror tag that has me scratching my head for the following reason; if the writer, who at the very least put obvious time into studying and understanding his subject, just wanted an occult premise to his story, he seriously over-shot
(unless of course, he had always wanted to put his vision of the Abramelin on film).
His choice is like bringing a nuke to a knife fight.
The film is, obviously, shot indoors but will benefit from viewing on a large (the bigger the better) screen, particularly for a shot during the final sequence. You have been advised
My only complaint with the film is the way the woman's final choice is handled on-screen. It would take a very talented crew of director, editor, writer, musicians to get across a state of grace on film. As it is, the final choice might be in danger of coming across as a cop-out.
This film will not be a big commercial success and in all probability will vanish into obscurity. But it has all the makings of a cult classic.