The eery unsettling atmosphere is apparent from the very beginning. The isolated setting, along with ominous folktales being told by the fire, the lack of food for the company and an off-screen death hanging over everyone's heads. The situation is precarious, ready to fall to ruin.
Eva, a young widow who has inherited a Winter fishing port in Artic Bay, along with the fishermen struggle with a lean catch. One day as they are about to take out the boat, they all witness a shipwreck at the mouth of the bay. Unable to even feed themselves they decide not to offer aid. In the days that follow the crew end up with a larger-than-expected catch, only for all the food to disappear the next day. Superstitions run high throughout the group as they start to believe they are being attacked by a draugr; a vengeful spirit. As well as surviving the harsh Winter, the group try to stay vigilant of each other as well as whatever ghostly spirit haunts them.
Director Thordur Palsson (who also has a story by credit) delves into Icelandic background and Nordic mythology, setting the scene for a chilling ghost story. Preying on the superstitions of people in the 1900s, little needs to be said before people start seeing shadows, figures in the dark, water dripping on the floor. There is much to be admired from Palsson's direction in creating these particular eery moments without resorting to gimmicks. The lack of effects can intrude on a well-told story, especially one at this pace, thus creating a much more atmospheric tone.
There is no doubt the location plays an important role in the story. The picturesque Icelandic bay though beautiful is intimidating, the vastness emphasises how isolated these fishermen really are, adding to the sense of dread felt by all near the end.
There are some quietly brilliant performances, in particular by Odessa Young as Eva, thrown into a leader role, most likely while still grieving her husband. Young holds her own amongst the men, taking the logical approach until strange occurrences cannot be ignored. Joe Cole as Daniel offers a very different approach as the level-headed crew member, not exerting dominance and giving space to Eva to lead as well as offering comfort. Siobhan Finneran also makes a lasting impression as the superstitious Helga, always telling the group stories and being the one bringing the Draugr into their minds.
Despite all this, The Damned unfortunately won't satisfy horror fans looking for more substance. The slow pace and continuous dreary tone throughout may not hold everyone's attention. Coupled with the ending that does spark further questions without explanation, which also may irritate some viewers. If ghost stories riddled with superstition are your idea of a good film, then you might find merit within the film.
With rather a devasting ending, The Damned is a ghost story that will have you second-guessing what is real and what is just stories people tell to make sense of strange events. The Damned is thankfully not plagued by jump scares and odd noises, the simple ghostly soundtrack and trickery within the frame more for a quiet horror that sends chills up your spine.
The Damned will be available in UK Cinemas from January 10.
