The Dark and the Wicked (2020) - Blu-ray Forum

bigshot · 01-01-2021, 09:09 AM

I picked this up and screened it tonight. it reminds me a lot of The VVitch. Slow build, but powerful. The acting was great too. Amazon has it for $13 so I took a chance. Glad I did. Great suspenseful horror movie.

4Dblu · 01-02-2021, 02:26 AM

Yeah, this was a Blind Buy. I didn't really get into it. I'll have to watch it again

defile959 · 01-02-2021, 02:53 AM

I caught it during one of the (remote) film festivals this year and liked it quite a bit. For $12.99, I couldn't pass it up.

Thomas Veil · 01-02-2021, 03:23 AM

I thought it was decent but not sure I would watch it again.

HipsterTrash · 01-02-2021, 04:10 AM

Looking for the right night to watch it this month.
I'm just happy Bryan Bertino has made a comeback.

DaylightsEnd · 01-03-2021, 03:17 AM

This flick reminds me of “The Wind: Demons of the Prairie” even moreso than the Witch. It has good tension that ramps up as the creepy happenings intensify in frequency and magnitude. The atmosphere of dread is palpable, as in The Wind, with a remote, small rural farm setting, the run-down old rickety farmhouse, a great sense of isolation and growing helplessness, physical illness, unsettling off-kilter conversations, confused and terrified livestock, realistic sympathetic characters, well-executed minor gore effects, mysterious visitors tenuously tied to what seems to be the dark side of religion, and creepy “things” moving just out of sight in the shadows. There’s a neatly packaged host of eerie sounds, sights, and bizarre happenings that are increasingly surreal and nightmarish. She’s a solid B horror effort with a fairly polished execution, given its low budget and simple plot. But it’s definitely mellow, slow-paced, symbolic, and methodically moody, so look elsewhere for fast action, blaring jump-scares, and a fanciful production. Good stuff in the genre for $12, if a slow burning creep-show that borders on the twilight zone is your cup of tea. I’ll admit that I finished this flick at 1:00am, alone in the dark, and didn’t see the precise end coming. The timing caught me just right, and the final scene left me with goosebumps. Win!

Underworld54 · 01-03-2021, 06:09 PM

This was really really good.

TripleHBK · 01-05-2021, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underworld54

This was really really good.

Absolutely agree. This was all around great and easily the best thing I've watched in quite a while. Given the low price I would very much encourage folks to give this one a look.

MikeScott · 02-09-2021, 10:10 AM

I didn't realize Bryan Bertino was the director of The Strangers until after watching it but it's not a huge surprise. For "The Dark and the Wicked" he basically took the slow build-up he utilized in the beginning of that film and stretched it out over an entire film.

While I really enjoyed The Strangers I was pretty underwhelmed by this one. There are some creepy moments and it has a decent atmosphere but man is it a slow burn. I found it difficult to get all that engrossed in it. It's mostly well-made but unlike great moody arthouse horror films like Hereditary this is lacking the substance needed to make it great. It's just kind of empty. The ending is also a little too abrupt.

There's plenty to like here but it wasn't enough for me.

6/10 (C+)

willonething · 02-14-2021, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripleHBK

Absolutely agree. This was all around great and easily the best thing I've watched in quite a while. Given the low price I would very much encourage folks to give this one a look.

Sounds good! Is this one locked to Region A? (I'm restricted to Region B ...)

willonething · 02-14-2021, 09:38 AM

Keen to pick this up - but only if it isn't locked to Region A. Can someone advise?

Member-222782 · 02-14-2021, 09:49 AM

Ordered this through Bull Moose and mistakenly chose the DVD edition. It was the same freaking price as the Blu-ray so it was an easy mistake to make. I don't know what I'm peeved more about, the fact that it's a DVD or the fact that I paid $20 for it. I suppose I can live with it lol.

jarrod_inf · 02-14-2021, 03:05 PM

This was just a real good, simple, and effective horror movie. I was completely surprised by this and give it my highest recommendation.

HipsterTrash · 02-15-2021, 12:16 PM

I really wanted to like this but I found it to be a slog.
After enjoying Bryan Bertino's The Strangers years ago, first in theaters, then when the wonderful Scream Factory release, I was excited to go in and try newer work.
Just to start with a tangent, his third outing as a director, The Monster, is a film so on the nose, it's breaking it as it thumps harder on your face. We get it, you got metaphors and dark things to look at it. But why is your actress acting as a character that's far too young for who they're portraying? This ain't Big.
This then set up my opinion on Bertino's latest The Dark and The Wicked. I went in wanting to like it due to his debut (and my love for his producing/writing on the sequel, the much misunderstood The Strangers: Prey at Night). This film wanted to bank on people's current love for the modern direction of horror: pseudo-serious dramas with morose themes as they use horror to look upon further on afflictions of current society. But that's the problem with the film. It just doesn't gel with the modern feeling and it feels too light on it's approach. It's not truly horrific enough but it doesn't have enough drama to carry it as that either, as it fails trying to do two things and not even being strong at either option.

Filmmaker · 02-17-2021, 11:18 PM

Well, turns out THE MONSTER is still the only Bertino film I’ve enjoyed. The sheer deluge of thunderously idiotic things the victims did in THE STRANGERS to effectively seal their fate made me despise them and give zero effs how their story would conclude. THE DARK AND THE WICKED is certainly an improvement on every level from that vapid screenplay, but is nonetheless hampered by a turgid pace and an old-fashioned (and I mean that in the worst way) “the devil’s here for your soul” shtick that THE VVITCH pulled off a thousand time more chillingly. Another title where Rotten Tomatoes led me astray.

TheZatch · 02-27-2021, 01:16 AM

Now available to stream on Shudder.

EDIT: I REALLY enjoyed it and may pick up the Blu-ray!

TwinCitiesBluFan · 05-09-2021, 08:47 PM

I added this to my Shudder list a couple of months ago and got around to watching it last night. I went in with high expectations after reading this thread! Ultimately, I didn’t think it was great, but it was pretty solid. I liked the creepy build-up and that it was a different take on a possession flick, but was still left wanting a little more in terms of the scares. I would also have loved to have a little more background on how things got to this point. Like,

[Show spoiler]

I had just watched Gwen right before this one and that’s another slow-burn film, but that one didn’t really go anywhere, so I’m glad this one did. Definitely a solid watch! It’s one I would consider buying at a cheap price, too.

Member-222782 · 05-10-2021, 01:34 AM

I loved this film. Very unsettling at times and very well made and acted. Been a while since I've seen a film as genuinely creepy as this. Highly recommended to fans of real horror movies.

Kakihara · 05-10-2021, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinema84

I loved this film. Very unsettling at times and very well made and acted. Been a while since I've seen a film as genuinely creepy as this. Highly recommended to fans of real horror movies.

I borrowed this from the library recently but haven't gotten around to seeing it. After reading the comments here, I'm more intrigued.

Underworld54 · 05-10-2021, 03:00 AM

I thought this was very good, very creepy.

01-01-2021, 09:09 AM	#1
bigshot Blu-ray Knight Member since:Aug 2010 Home Theater Gallery:12 Blu-ray collection:82 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:3	The Dark and the Wicked (2020) I picked this up and screened it tonight. it reminds me a lot of The VVitch. Slow build, but powerful. The acting was great too. Amazon has it for $13 so I took a chance. Glad I did. Great suspenseful horror movie. Last edited by Deciazulado; 11-06-2023 at 10:08 AM.

01-03-2021, 03:17 AM	#6
DaylightsEnd Blu-ray Knight Member since:May 2019 Blu-ray collection:1 Blu-ray reviews:1	This flick reminds me of “The Wind: Demons of the Prairie” even moreso than the Witch. It has good tension that ramps up as the creepy happenings intensify in frequency and magnitude. The atmosphere of dread is palpable, as in The Wind, with a remote, small rural farm setting, the run-down old rickety farmhouse, a great sense of isolation and growing helplessness, physical illness, unsettling off-kilter conversations, confused and terrified livestock, realistic sympathetic characters, well-executed minor gore effects, mysterious visitors tenuously tied to what seems to be the dark side of religion, and creepy “things” moving just out of sight in the shadows. There’s a neatly packaged host of eerie sounds, sights, and bizarre happenings that are increasingly surreal and nightmarish. She’s a solid B horror effort with a fairly polished execution, given its low budget and simple plot. But it’s definitely mellow, slow-paced, symbolic, and methodically moody, so look elsewhere for fast action, blaring jump-scares, and a fanciful production. Good stuff in the genre for $12, if a slow burning creep-show that borders on the twilight zone is your cup of tea. I’ll admit that I finished this flick at 1:00am, alone in the dark, and didn’t see the precise end coming. The timing caught me just right, and the final scene left me with goosebumps. Win! Last edited by DaylightsEnd; 01-03-2021 at 03:35 AM.

02-27-2021, 01:16 AM	#16
TheZatch Power Member Top contributor Member since:Mar 2010 Location:Cleveland, Ohio 4K collection:794 Blu-ray collection:2257 DVD collection:27 MA collection:363 Digital collection:655 iTunes collection:504 iTunes music:1 Prime collection:329 Trading Score:309	Now available to stream on Shudder. EDIT: I REALLY enjoyed it and may pick up the Blu-ray! Last edited by TheZatch; 02-27-2021 at 01:47 AM.

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01-02-2021, 02:26 AM	#2
4Dblu Power Member Member since:Aug 2008 Location:Big Small State Home Theater Gallery:15 4K collection:267 Blu-ray collection:1573 DVD collection:113 Blu-ray reviews:3 Trading Score:31	Yeah, this was a Blind Buy. I didn't really get into it. I'll have to watch it again

01-02-2021, 02:53 AM	#3
defile959 Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jan 2014 Location:Charlotte, NC 4K collection:85 Blu-ray collection:2487 DVD collection:585 Prime collection:1 Trading Score:7	I caught it during one of the (remote) film festivals this year and liked it quite a bit. For $12.99, I couldn't pass it up.

01-02-2021, 03:23 AM	#4
Thomas Veil Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Mar 2013 Location:Syracuse, NY Blu-ray collection:1 Blu-ray reviews:1	I thought it was decent but not sure I would watch it again.

01-02-2021, 04:10 AM	#5
HipsterTrash Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Mar 2019 Location:Canada 4K collection:20 Blu-ray collection:2996	Looking for the right night to watch it this month. I'm just happy Bryan Bertino has made a comeback.

01-03-2021, 06:09 PM	#7
Underworld54 Blu-ray Count Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Albany NY Blu-ray collection:163 Blu-ray reviews:4 Trading Score:15	This was really really good.

02-09-2021, 10:10 AM	#9
MikeScott Blu-ray Champion Member since:Jul 2010 Location:Minnesota Trading Score:503	I didn't realize Bryan Bertino was the director of The Strangers until after watching it but it's not a huge surprise. For "The Dark and the Wicked" he basically took the slow build-up he utilized in the beginning of that film and stretched it out over an entire film. While I really enjoyed The Strangers I was pretty underwhelmed by this one. There are some creepy moments and it has a decent atmosphere but man is it a slow burn. I found it difficult to get all that engrossed in it. It's mostly well-made but unlike great moody arthouse horror films like Hereditary this is lacking the substance needed to make it great. It's just kind of empty. The ending is also a little too abrupt. There's plenty to like here but it wasn't enough for me. 6/10 (C+)

02-14-2021, 09:38 AM	#11
willonething Junior Member Member since:Jul 2009 Blu-ray collection:607 DVD collection:6	Keen to pick this up - but only if it isn't locked to Region A. Can someone advise?

02-14-2021, 09:49 AM	#12
Member-222782 Blu-ray Archduke Member since:Jun 2012 4K collection:645 Blu-ray collection:4556 DVD collection:474 Trading Score:140	Ordered this through Bull Moose and mistakenly chose the DVD edition. It was the same freaking price as the Blu-ray so it was an easy mistake to make. I don't know what I'm peeved more about, the fact that it's a DVD or the fact that I paid $20 for it. I suppose I can live with it lol.

02-14-2021, 03:05 PM	#13
jarrod_inf Special Member Member since:Apr 2013 4K collection:777 Blu-ray collection:3470 DVD collection:22 Trading Score:1	This was just a real good, simple, and effective horror movie. I was completely surprised by this and give it my highest recommendation.

02-15-2021, 12:16 PM	#14
HipsterTrash Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Mar 2019 Location:Canada 4K collection:20 Blu-ray collection:2996	I really wanted to like this but I found it to be a slog. After enjoying Bryan Bertino's The Strangers years ago, first in theaters, then when the wonderful Scream Factory release, I was excited to go in and try newer work. Just to start with a tangent, his third outing as a director, The Monster, is a film so on the nose, it's breaking it as it thumps harder on your face. We get it, you got metaphors and dark things to look at it. But why is your actress acting as a character that's far too young for who they're portraying? This ain't *Big. This then set up my opinion on Bertino's latest The Dark and The Wicked. I went in wanting to like it due to his debut (and my love for his producing/writing on the sequel, the much misunderstood The Strangers: Prey at Night). This film wanted to bank on people's current love for the modern direction of horror: pseudo-serious dramas with morose themes as they use horror to look upon further on afflictions of current society. But that's the problem with the film. It just doesn't gel with the modern feeling and it feels too light on it's approach. It's not truly horrific enough but it doesn't have enough drama to carry it as that either, as it fails trying to do two things and* not even being strong at either option.

02-17-2021, 11:18 PM	#15
Filmmaker Blu-ray Count Top contributor Member since:Aug 2009 Location:Tulsa, OK (but don't hold it against me!) Home Theater Gallery:90 4K collection:1171 Blu-ray collection:3154 DVD collection:593 Trading Score:24	Well, turns out THE MONSTER is still the only Bertino film I’ve enjoyed. The sheer deluge of thunderously idiotic things the victims did in THE STRANGERS to effectively seal their fate made me despise them and give zero effs how their story would conclude. THE DARK AND THE WICKED is certainly an improvement on every level from that vapid screenplay, but is nonetheless hampered by a turgid pace and an old-fashioned (and I mean that in the worst way) “the devil’s here for your soul” shtick that THE VVITCH pulled off a thousand time more chillingly. Another title where Rotten Tomatoes led me astray.

05-09-2021, 08:47 PM	#17
TwinCitiesBluFan Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Sep 2015 Location:Twin Cities, MN 4K collection:943 Blu-ray collection:4248 DVD collection:445 MA collection:133 Digital collection:456 iTunes collection:136 Trading Score:321	I added this to my Shudder list a couple of months ago and got around to watching it last night. I went in with high expectations after reading this thread! Ultimately, I didn’t think it was great, but it was pretty solid. I liked the creepy build-up and that it was a different take on a possession flick, but was still left wanting a little more in terms of the scares. I would also have loved to have a little more background on how things got to this point. Like, [Show spoiler] I had just watched Gwen right before this one and that’s another slow-burn film, but that one didn’t really go anywhere, so I’m glad this one did. Definitely a solid watch! It’s one I would consider buying at a cheap price, too.

05-10-2021, 01:34 AM	#18
Member-222782 Blu-ray Archduke Member since:Jun 2012 4K collection:645 Blu-ray collection:4556 DVD collection:474 Trading Score:140	I loved this film. Very unsettling at times and very well made and acted. Been a while since I've seen a film as genuinely creepy as this. Highly recommended to fans of real horror movies.

05-10-2021, 03:00 AM	#20
Underworld54 Blu-ray Count Member since:Dec 2008 Location:Albany NY Blu-ray collection:163 Blu-ray reviews:4 Trading Score:15	I thought this was very good, very creepy.

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