Starring - Dave Davis (The Walking Dead, Logan), Menashe Lustig (Menashe, Holy Woman), and Malky Goldman (Woman of Valor, Unorthadox)
Release Date - 2019
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "It wants your pains"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
When IFC and Shout Factory teamed up several years ago I was extremely excited for the possibility of the amazing releases this collaboration would bring us. The pair has released some seriously eerie horror films over the last few years some of which still get regular revisits from me. A few weeks ago I received the press release for the religious horror film The Vigil from IFC Midnight and Scream Factory. I was really excited to check this one out so I reached out to my friends at Scream Factory and they were kind enough to send a copy my way. Thanks guys!
The film follows a young man who has found himself lacking in faith after he lost his son when a group of bullies attack them while walking through Brooklyn. He is asked to watch over the body of a recently deceased as part of the vigil. A seemingly easy night takes a sinister turn when he discovers that something supernatural is lurking in the home.
I went into this one extremely excited but found myself very underwhelmed. I still gave the film the benefit of the doubt in hopes that it would pick up before the film was over but it never did. It was an interesting premise but at an hour and a half long the story just didn't have enough meat on the bone. The acting in this one is great. The cast is really dedicated to their roles and the characters are enjoyable but the situation they are in is very uneventful. The story for this one has a great set up that could be something extremely chilling and terrifying but the atmosphere it builds is ruined by random scenes of text messages and random flashbacks. The flashbacks does tell the backstory of the protagonist but they feel out of place at times and destroys the tension the film builds. Also, the scenes are long and drawn out with little to no action. The film would be way more effective if it was condensed to maybe a 30 minute run time then it would have been a little more enjoyable. Finally, the film is not as bloody and gruesome as I would have liked. It's very atmospheric at times but it does struggle to keep it. Overall, The Vigil is a missed opportunity. It could have been an unforgettable supernatural tale centered around religion but it fails to actually build upon the foundation it laid down. I want to recommend this one but I can't. Skip it.
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