Carl Roberts 
Chris Cronin’s Supernatural chiller/ mystery/ Folk horror movie The Moor opens in UK cinemas this Friday. Is it worth a visit or is it too bleak?
It is sometimes easy to forget that horror and supernatural movies need not be huge in scope, budget and grandeur. For every big-budget horror that hits the cinema screen, there are more lower-budget, smaller movies that deserve our attention. On many occasions, they are much better than their big Hollywood cousins. One of these smaller movies is Chris Cronin’s The Moor. The film hits UK cinemas this Friday before becoming available on streaming from July 1st. Featuring a cast that includes Sophia La Porta, David Edward-Robertson, Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips, Mark Peachey, and the late Bernard Hill, the film is another addition to the British horror genre. It is a mix of murder mystery, supernatural chiller, and Folk horror. But is the film worthy of a visit or is it too bleak to stand up to scrutiny?
PREMISE
Claire was just a child when her best friend was abducted and murdered. Twenty-five years later, the convicted killer has served his sentence and is about to be released. Bill, the dead boy’s father, approaches Claire for help. Who has a plan to keep the killer behind bars. With the help of psychic Eleanor, he takes them deep into the haunted moor which he believes is his son’s final resting place. They find more than just the ghosts of dead children out there. Something else, something dark and evil, stirs beneath their feet.
THOUGHTS
The film is the stuff that nightmares are made of. And then some. The mixture of different genres is a brilliant concoction that will have audiences guessing and second-guessing while clinging to the arms of their seats. We do get the obligatory jump scares along the way but they, for once are not telegraphed. We know something is going to happen, just not when. Like a master storyteller, Chris Cronin scares the audience by making them think what’s going to happen, lull them into a false sense of security before making them jump out of their seats. Sure, it’s been used many times before. But it’s been a long time since it’s been this effective.
Some people may draw comparisons during the film with The Blair Witch Project. While this is perfectly reasonable, it does The Moor a real injustice. Both are separate entities in their own right. Both are tightly plotted and paced. And both play tricks on our subliminal mind. But The Moor goes over and above at certain points. It draws us in with a wonderfully resonant storyline, having us chew our nails to the quick. But what writer Paul Thomas does is unexpected. Some people may feel frustrated by not having all plot threads explained or tied up neatly by the end. Here’s the thing, the film makes us THINK. It makes us watch and make up our own minds at times. Some things seen during the film remain unexplained, left to our own imaginations. And it works wonderfully.
THE CAST
The cast is superb throughout. The main protagonist, Claire is played superbly by Sophia La Porta. At every turn, the actress has us on her side. The way she plays the adult Claire, still feeling guilty over the death of her best friend some twenty-five years earlier has us feeling her pain. Every emotion that Claire goes through during the film, we feel as well. The character resonates with us in such a way, that we can’t help but wish her well during her journey, hoping she finds the closure she so desperately needs. It is a wonderful performance from Sophia La Porta, one that enriches the film throughout.
Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips is a revelation as the young Eleanor. She makes her first appearance around forty-five minutes into the film. But from the second she appears, she too has us in the palm of her hand. As a young psychic/ diviner, Eleanor quickly becomes one of the most vital parts of the story. From this point on, we can’t tear our eyes from her when she’s on screen. We find ourselves hanging on her every word, wanting nothing to happen to her, to make it back from the Moor unharmed. As you would expect, supernatural things occur around her at almost every turn, making us fear for her. It is an extraordinary performance from Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips, one worthy of major recognition from all quarters. And I hope she gets it, as she is outstanding throughout.
DAVID EDWARD-ROBERTSON
David Edward-Robertson though is unbelievable as Bill, the father of the murdered child. From the start, we find ourselves with conflicting emotions with the character. In some parts, we feel nothing but sympathy for Bill. At other parts, we find ourselves suspecting him and his motives at every turn. We find ourselves liking and resentful at him during many differing periods during the film. But despite the conflicting emotions we see with the character, we find ourselves, reluctantly, thinking how we would react if we were in his shoes. We can understand Bill’s motivations through his relentless search for his son’s body. Not only to make sure his boy’s murderer stays locked up until he dies behind bars, but any parents quest to bring their only child’s remains home to receive a decent burial.
We can overlook Bill’s gruffness throughout, knowing how he must be feeling. The frustration, the pain he has endured over the past twenty-five years, and his single-minded desire to bring his boy home. His refusal to take no for an answer and the extremes he is willing to go to in his quest, some questionable, make Bill an extremely flawed but understandable character. David Edward-Robertson gives us a heartfelt performance here, at times warm and friendly, at other cold and relentless. But we can understand the character more than we would care to admit. The actor here is sublime, breathing so much life and emotion into Bill that we can’t fail but like him.
MARK PEACHEY AND BERNARD HILL
Mark Peachey portrays Eleanor’s father, Alex. When we first meet him, Alex is divining over a map in Bill’s home, trying to steer him to where his son’s body is. Alex is deadset against Bill using his daughter’s help but has to stand by as she plunges headlong into helping. Mark Peachey gives a terrific performance as the desperate father just trying to help Bill while also trying to protect his daughter from the unknown which is to come. Again, we can see a lot of ourselves in Alex. The lengths we would go to to protect our offspring and to steer them away from the lurking dangers that lie in wait outside our influence.
The late Bernard Hill has an extended cameo in the film. But he too is a vital addition to proceedings. As a former Police Officer, Thornley, he not gives Claire details about the original investigation but also helps along the way with support in aiding Bill to find his son’s body. We find ourselves hooked on Hill’s every word here, as we should. His appearance here and his sad death earlier this year once again show us what a true British talent Bernard Hill was, and how much he will be missed.
THE DIRECTION, SCREENPLAY AND MUSIC
The direction by Chris Cronin is assured throughout. He takes what’s been written by Paul Thomas and crafts a tale that lives long in the memory well after the film ends. Cronin’s direction and Thomas’ writing go hand in hand with each other throughout. Cronin directs the film masterfully, from his actors down to the shots of the moor itself. The director makes the moor itself almost like a cast member during the film. On the one hand, Cronin shows the beauty of it, the majesty of its vastness. On the other, however, he shows the landscape as daunting, almost never-ending and frightening to behold. The same vastness that we marvel at is also something to be scared of.
Paul Thomas’ script plays into all of our fears. The feelings of helplessness, despair, frustration and isolation run through the screenplay throughout. While some aspects feel akin to The Blair Witch Project and The Wicker Man at times, Thomas has written something that feels fresh. And it is scary, giving us a scenario we never feel comfortable in or with. His use of the moor itself as something to be feared is fantastic, giving us some truly frightening moments. His use of jump scares, although we know will be coming, fits the film to a tee. Add in a haunting, scary, and ominous score from Nir Perlman which accompanies what we see to perfection and we have something that never stops being a great slice of horror.
VERDICT
The Moor is the perfect blend to keep us chilled to the bone. We don’t know where the film will go, play out throughout or end. By the time the end credits roll, we have been witness to something that shows the world that low-budget British horror can stand toe to toe with its more star-studded, expensive counterparts. The climax itself is something that we don’t see coming. It is what can only be described as pure folk horror, something we’ve read about, heard of, or played in the back of our minds.
The use of the moor and its dangers never leaves our minds from the time we first see it until the final fadeout. It scares us almost as much as some of the things we see during the movie. This is what we want in a British horror movie. Great performances, expertly written and directed, and a superb score to accompany the narrative throughout, playing on our fears to perfection. Haunting, scary and gripping, The Moor will live long in the memory. The film isn’t a pleasant watch at times, it will occupy our thoughts once it ends. It isn’t comfortable viewing. It is a brooding nightmare, atmospheric to the end. But damn, if it isn’t an effective one. We may not want to visit the moor after seeing the film. But we will want to revisit the film again. Highly recommended.
The Moor will be in cinemas on Friday from Bulldog Film Distribution and will be available to stream from July 1st.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
