Review: Apostle Is Just Good Horror
- Oct 14, 2018
- 1 min read
From Gareth Evans, director of The Raid films, comes an unsettling period piece in the vein of classic British horror, with more than a sprinkling of graphic violence.
Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens) arrives on an island controlled by an isolationist cult led by Prophet Malcolm (Michael Sheen), in search of his kidnapped sister. From the moment he sets foot on solid ground, it becomes apparent that things on the island are not right in the slightest.
Gareth Evans made his mark on cinema with what are arguably the best action films ever made, and his latest film is a sharp turn from the high intensity thrills of Indonesian crime fighting into a slow build piece that aims to worm its way under your skin and render the viewer uncomfortable in the best way possible. From Sheen's standout performance as the prophet, a man dedicated to his mysterious goddess, to Steven's himself, and his intense silence, the movie is stacked against the viewer like some kind of oppressive will
Apostle is nigh on impossible to describe without running the risk of spoiling everything. The space between what is true and what is not is so fine, so minute, that even the slightest hint could topple Evan's carefully arranged tower of terror. Instead, it is best to experience Apostle as a blank slate, as Thomas Richardson himself. Go onto the island, experience the cult, and get swept away in a bizarre, unsettling, and ultimately riveting movie.
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