The Housemaid by Donny

Synopsis- On a plantation in 1953 Indochina, a troubled young housemaid finds comfort in the arms of the widowed owner, until his deceased wife returns to object.

I did a blind buy on this one, as I had read some stellar reviews, a couple said that it was heavily influenced by Hammer Horror or the 70’s…but with 1950’s historical context. After watching, the Hammer Horror elements are front and center, from the plot to the setting, it’s gothic and moody. The drama and romance are great, and really do build to an exciting climax, with a reveal that I wouldn’t have suspected. But what I really enjoyed was the backdrop of the movie, as it took place duringThe First Indochina War. Some of the atrocities that happened during the war, gave this movie its tragic core, one that was filled with real world terrors. A fine balance, and the director did it masterfully.

Also, there are some great practical prosthetics used for the ghouls and our titular “Lady in Black”, even a bit of cgi that wasn’t too bad. It was pretty much a gothic horror movie, but with some great supernatural slasher elements. I loved the kill scenes, as they were a bit more impactful, as the characters had been developed more than most horror movies usually have time for. I was worried that the romance would put the horror on the back burner, but this was not the case.

I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say that it was pretty heartbreaking, but not in the way you might expect. Definitely glad I blind bought this one, def give this one a watch/buy, highly recommended!

9/10