Aislinn Clarke delivers a unique Irish twist to the horror genre with her latest film Fréwaka, hitting Irish cinemas on April 25th. Daragh from Phoenix Film attended an advance screening and shares his thoughts below.
Daragh’s Review
Dundalk-born writer and director Aislinn Clarke has proven time and time again that she can craft a chilling experience for audiences. Along with her 2016 short film Childer and 2018 feature debut The Devil’s Doorway, she is back in the limelight of the horror stage once again with her latest release, Fréwaka.
Set in a small town along Ireland’s majestic Atlantic coast, this gripping, unnerving horror is told through the lens of a Dublin woman named Shoo (Clare Monnelly). She is not only struggling to grieve following the loss of her recently passed mother but also attempting to become a nurse through her studies. However, she’s been taking time to herself to process everything.
When she’s unexpectedly landed with a placement in a coastal village, she forces herself back to work much earlier than anticipated to care for an elderly woman named Peig (Bríd Ní Neachtain). To add an extra layer of mystery to this strange endeavour. Peig is suffering from dementia, paranoia and delusions. Believing a cult of spirits abducted her several years ago, she keeps experiencing hallucinations unbeknownst to Shoo. To make matters worse, Peig’s paranoia slowly begins to take its toll on Shoo, and she soon realises that the mental health issues her client has been experiencing might just have real consequences.
As the unlikely duo form a tight bond. Shoo is forced to confront her troubled past. One major difference that really stood out to me when compared against other horror movies of recent years is the overall craftsmanship and dedication that went a long way into building up not only scary moments, but on the opposite side of the same coin, a compelling story and characters. Horror is an interesting genre that can really go either way. Sometimes, story and characters are sacrificed for fright gimmicks and clichés, while others manage to balance both aspects.
This movie hits very similar beats to an A24 film. What makes this one shine the most is its character dynamics first and foremost. The pairing of Shoo and Peig works splendidly and authentically. The two have very similar pasts which in tern makes them relate to each other more. It mainly comes in the form of the shared trauma they experienced either in youth or early adult life. The technical parts of the film especially the sound design and colour correction really engross you during intense moments. It prepares you for something to happen and keeps you hooked to you seat throughout. Every single actor brings something engaging to the table. You can really feel the raw emotional core, particularly once the main action of the movie kicks off.
Overall, Fréwaka is a movie I’d recommend to not only fans of the horror genre, but also for anyone on the lookout for more independent and Irish made movies. The characters are all likeable and well-written, the dialogue is engaging, the story and pacing are consistent, the sound design, colour correction and lighting are spine-tingling, and the actors all do a phenomenal job. These integral points are come full-circle to make for a scary, unpredictable ride. My only critique would be that I wished we spent more time on the dementia, and it’s impacts on Peig besides the illusions.
Fréwaka is released in Irish cinemas on April 25th
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