Atmosphere has always been one of the most important elements in horror, even if it’s slowly being forgotten about as the focus continues to shift towards jump scares, gore, and shocking twists. However, 2021’s Shepherd lathers on the dread so thickly that it becomes almost impenetrable, yielding an underrated gem as a result.
Writer and director Russell Owen’s isolated nightmare didn’t seize many headlines or capture the imagination during its limited release, but it nonetheless stands a good chance of becoming the latest under-the-radar cult favorite for those who enjoy their scary stories to offer hefty helpings of both psychosis and the supernatural. Make no mistake, though, the sense of lurching unease doesn’t ever go away.
Tom Hughes stars as a conflicted widower, who retreats from confronting the death of his adulterous wife by taking up a new job as a shepherd, where he’s stationed all on his lonesome on an island that instantly comes across as being suspiciously ominous. Sure enough, his spiraling madness meets that of a terrifying spirit, plunging both his life and sanity into perilous danger.
Garnering a 73 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, Shepherd won widespread acclaim from critics, but it hasn’t been until now that it placed a foothold on the on-demand circuit. Per FlixPatrol, the haunting journey from grieving to ghastly has scored a Top 10 spot on the ViaPlay worldwide watch-list, and it comes heartily recommended for anyone who’s been getting a sustained kick out of the recent “folk horror” boom that’s knocked out a slew of instant favorites.
Published: Feb 13, 2023 02:35 am