User reviews

I was excited to see this film because I am a horror and Rory McCann fan.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie for what it was. I have a particular preference towards supernatural horror, so if you do too, you may like this as well. It is also a psychological horror. If you read the other reviews, they mentioned that it was pretty good up until the end and that it was too slow of a burn.

I disagree that it was too slow. The pacing was on par, in my opinion, for it being just an hour and a half length movie. What I do agree with is that the ending stopped this from being great.

When I read others' reviews, they were vague on what made the ending so bad, so I was curious about it before I watched. Without spoiling it, I believe the direction that the plot went was a cop-out or a rushed way to wrap up the the story. I left the movies trying to justify the ending in a way where it could have made sense because I really enjoyed the rest of the film. Again, trying not to spoil it, the ending seemed a bit illogical (despite it being supernatural and psychological) and gives partial clarification to the plot points. Especially for those who found this to be slow, it does not give a good pay off for watching.

I still don't feel like it was a waste of time, however. I rated it a bit higher and still think its worth a watch because that particular ending happened within about the last 3 minutes of the movie, so essentially, an hour and 26 min was still good and therefore not a waste.

I also rated it a bit higher because the other parts of the film: the cinematography, costume design and sound design were really great. Especially for a horror film, the things you don't initially think about, like eerie sounds, can make or break the atmosphere and this movie did it right in setting the atmosphere during the entire run time.

This is genuinely a film I can recommend to any die hard horror fans, or anyone interested in a genuinely facinating horror plot - The Damned is a unique start to the 2025 theatrical roster for sure. Fantastic acting, engaging story and an overall extremely beautiful piece of cinematic eye candy, some genuinely skin crawling shots and creepy story development, accompanied with a fantastic score and continual mystery, even to the final act. The film starts at a steady incline, filling us in slowly but surely, then dips into a horrifying second to mid-act, however when the ending and climax finally arrives, I personally felt it felt extremely rushed, alongside the ending. The finale and conclusion acts, although piecing together, falls apart so heavily to where it takes you entirely out of the mood by the time credits roll. This was an extremely worthy and interesting theatrical debut, but I feel audiences will not sync with the rushed-feeling ending, which is a shame, because this film from beginning before end was tense, gripping and genuinely unique. Still worth a watch.

The film is very atmospheric, filled with dread, frigidness, and quite unsettling. It follows a crew on a coastal Icelandic fishing outpost that comes across another shipwrecked crew. They face a damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don't scenario (no pun intended); saving this crew would mean jeopardizing their own safety, but not saving the other crew would be morally wrong. The decision they make haunts them.

The cinematography is very nice, highlighting the Icelandic wintry landscapes, and the sound design is effective. While watching, it feels like you're actually there at the outpost with the characters in the dead of winter.

Odessa Young is great as the lead not only of the film itself, but also of the crew within the film. She's quietly and subtly bold as a widow coming to grips with leading an all-male crew of the coastal fishing outpost inherited from her late husband. Young has good presence here as we follow her going through something sinister that she's in over her head to understand, balancing the terror she's experiencing while also trying to remain a competent leader for her crew. The rest of the ensemble is good too, particularly Cole and Finneran. You really feel the group's esprit de corps and camaderie, which really adds to the film as we see a sinister presence proceed to wreak havoc.

While the story itself is compelling, the film has one issue, and it's a big one: the pacing; which is odd to say since the film is actually not very long, at just 1 hr 29 mins. In large part this is because the film takes place entirely in one small location and it follows the lead primarily, while the other characters are on the sidelines. At the same time, this seclusion adds greatly to the film's atmosphere. So perhaps while many may find this film to be glacial in its pace at times, others very well may appreciate it and take the film to be a slow burn, or a slow thaw, no pun intended.

But however you take this film, it is certainly worth checking out, if only for the great acting and isolating, cold atmosphere.

I watched the Icelandic film 🇮🇸 The Damned (2024) in theaters this evening. The storyline follows an Icelandic fishing team that is hunkered down in a shack together trying to survive winter. One day they see a crashed ship in the water with an abandoned crew with nothing they can do to rescue them. After a few days they head out to see if they can obtain supplies and set off a series of unfortunate events that sets a curse on their camp.

This picture is directed by Thordur Palsson, in his directorial debut, and stars Odessa Young (Assassination Nation), Joe Cole (One of these Days), Lewis Gribben (T2 Trainspotting), Rory McCann (Game of Thrones) and Mícheál Óg Lane (The Guard).

The Damned is one of those movies that feels like it's missing an ingredient from beginning to end. The atmosphere and desperation of the circumstances is perfectly established with the attire, settings and backdrops. There's good use of background music to establish the drama and intensity. The movie does start with a bang. I'll also say eels aren't used enough in horror movies. There's awesome use of an ax and a fantastic throat slash. There's a strong buildup to the final scene, but the conclusion was disappointing.

In conclusion, The Damned has more than enough going on to keep your attention, but doesn't live up to its potential. I would score this a 6.5/10.

GenX reporting-in from the first screening at our AMC. I see almost every horror film. This is the first of 2025, an Icelandic horror about malnurishment, regrets, ghost stories, alcoholism, and fisherman. The cinematography, scenery, costumes and acting are all Very well done, A++. Decent gore. I could understand most of the dialogue, but I wish my theatre would offer open captions for films like this. If I was at home I would pause and rewind parts. It's very good, but not good enough to view it again. In the end it falls short in its climax. Some of the horror is sliced-in or not on screen for long, cut short. But honestly we would be complaining if this film was longer, as its the perfect run time for a slow burner like this; Less boring that way. The landscape and vibe is haunting. Do you have to see this film in the theatre? A: No. If you have A-List or Movie Pass and extra time definitely check it out. It's almost great 6/10 for costumes, scenery and acting.

I struggle to say anything really "bad" about this movie. I LOVED the movie for about 1hr and 26mins. Those final ~3ish minutes kind of soiled the entire movie for me.

I felt like the movie was VERY well done for what they were working with. It counts as an indie Irish folk horror film and in that regard, this movie is AMAZING. The acting was very well done, I felt like I couldn't find a single actor/actress that didn't feel like they weren't giving everything they had for their role.

The scenery in this movie as well, BEAUTIFUL. Filming in Iceland was an outstanding choice because every outdoor shot in this movie is gorgeous.

The jumpscares, though not plentiful, are set up and land very well for the average viewer, barring two really cheap jumpscares but that's allowed.

I enjoyed how the plot moved forward naturally, and it felt like none of the characters decisions were made in typical horror movie fashion aka "without a brain".

This movie also made me feel really bad for pretty much the entire crew. I felt like, even though they did NEARLY everything right, they still were punished for it. I understand that they set the tone early by explaining the folklore that these spirits are just full of rage with how their endings came to be, but it still felt bad having seen the characters do everything right and still get punished for making the correct choices. It felt like there was nothing they could do to stop what happened, and that left a bleak and sorrowful feeling during the entire movie. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING HOWEVER AND ADDED TO MY ENJOYMENT OF THE MOVIE.

That all comes, in my own opinion, undone with the ending. To keep the review spoiler free, I won't spoil the ending but, it did leave me feeling a little bit like "why did we do all of this"/"how did we not know this by now".

Overall however, the ending, after much consideration, wasn't enough to sway the rating or drop it too much, this is still a fantastic film and if you are a horror fan you should definitely watch this one. ESPECIALLY if you like the folk horror genre. Solid 7/10 when ranked with horror movie

Pros Solid acting Beautiful scenery Good jumpscares Good plot Great Sound design Good emotion

Cons Bad ending.

This 2024 co-production between Ireland and Iceland shows it's strength in its cinematography. It has beauty within the frigid temperaturea and stark landscape. It's storyline begins begin well with the first and second act, great introduction of hearing a woman's oral storytelling to the main cast.

Odessa Young, delivers a strong performance as the widower of a ship owner and its seaman crew. The rest of the films is a play of what you see as folk story to answer what it just human tragedy and conflict. Director Thordur Palsson co-scripted with Jamie Hanniga. Aside from Young, it stars Joe Cole and Lewis Gribben as the widow's sea crew.

Many reviews are in sort of agreement that in the films third act, it has flaws. I see it as a interesting plot twist or just fact about the life at sea. Palsson's direction captured the seafarer's concerns: about having the provisions, managing one's sanity on the boat whether its darkness or blinded by northern wind blasts.

As far as this film being marketed as a "folk horror" film, like others film it plays on surreal effects, then on just the folkloric. For the average horror fan, the film may not much to deliver. But for those seeking a steady story and outlook to landscape scenes - it's for you.

The good reviews have me a bit confused to be honest. Overall this film was boring. Slow burn can be really good and intense but I just think this was too boring, it never felt like it really got going. I will say that the performances are all very good (for a script that is not) and I noticed almost immediately that the score is good. Visually it was somewhat enjoyable but a little bit same same and like I say there just wasn't a lot happening. People dislike the ending but I honestly felt like that could've been the best bit if there was just more plot armour leading to it. The film needed a twist to make it interesting but a rushed twist just annoys everyone and makes the whole thing very mediocre.

It's been a while since I've watched a horror movie, but today I decided to fill the gap, because it's rare to find a film that takes you back to such an early era. The action takes place in 1860 in an Icelandic fishing village lost in the ice. The nearest settlement is a three-day journey through snow-capped mountains, a real hell. The landscapes, especially the bay, emphasize the isolation of this place. Add to this the mystical folklore inspired by Scandinavian mythology and the eternal theme of lack of resources - and you get an eerie, disturbing atmosphere. From the first minutes, you feel how isolation, ominous tales around the campfire and the shadow of death weigh on the characters. The situation is fragile, as if ready to collapse at any moment. The film impressed with the choice of place and time, stunning scenery, impeccable camera work and acting. The plot keeps you in suspense until the end, although the ending seemed a little overloaded. A solid eight!

What a fantastic kickoff for horror movies in 2025. This psychological horror flick is expertly crafted and features a strong female lead set against the backdrop of an Icelandic fishing village. The film opens with a group of fishermen enjoying dinner in a cozy cottage while a local woman shares a folk tale that sets the stage for the eerie journey ahead. It's got that slow-burn, atmospheric kind of horror, focusing on a folklore creature called the Draugr. The cast is amazing, with Odessa Young delivering a standout performance. The cinematography is stunning, capturing the freezing, snowy Icelandic landscape near the beach. Those exterior shots are just gorgeous to look at and perfectly convey the film's mood and themes. The music is spot-on, and the whole production is top-notch.

The Draugr seems to represent strangers in this wild setting where resources are scarce and food is limited, forcing characters into tough and traumatic decisions. But this movie goes beyond just showing how unforgiving nature can be; it digs into human nature itself-relationship dynamics, loss, grief, guilt, trauma, survival versus morality-the nature of evil, superstition and folklore, female agency, and what leadership truly means. It really explores how isolation and harsh conditions can play tricks on our minds and how we struggle to deal with hard truths. The themes here are just fantastic.

There's a line in the movie that really stuck with me: "The living are always more dangerous than the dead." I couldn't agree more. And by the way, that's a solid tip for all the horror filmmakers out there!

In summary, I highly recommend this movie to everyone-not just those who love psychological horror. It's such a breath of fresh air in today's horror scene and offers a really satisfying experience overall. Great performances from the entire cast, especially Odessa Young. Make sure to give it a watch without expecting it to be super scary!

I enjoy horror period pieces as I really believe this is the way forward to keep horror creative and interesting without relying on sequels and re-makes.

Unfortunately, "The Damned" is forgettable save for the beautiful landscapes. You can only get so far on dramatic landscapes.

Visually, it is wonderful. Creatively, it is original, telling the story of a cursed 19th Century fishing outpost in Scandinavia. A ship sinks, aid is refused, and a cursed is apparently cast aginst the village.

The story starts off well-enough, but loses momentum through extended scenes that don't add value and slow the pace of the film.

Once the zombie threat or "Draug" are identified, there should have been consistent movement towards the resolution of the crisis, but instead there are more labored discussions, arguments, and extended visuals of the protagonist.

For me, it was not clear exactly what the curse of the Draug entails, and how they can hurt you. Is it all psychological? Hard to say, and because of this I felt no terror or threat.

It feels like the writer ran out of steam in the second half, and the final moments of the film seem completely separate and disconnected from the original plot.

Was the protagonist hallucinating all along due to isolation or depression? Were the Draug real? This type of story line is lazy. I don't want to have to guess the ending after investing the time to the film.

This ending ruins the film, and I can't imagine what an explanation by the writer would be in a subsequent interview or podcast.

In summary, "The Damned" has nice cinematography, decent acting, but all for nought. It was a decent try, but I feel the location, costuming, and acting were wasted by the lack of a tighter story.

In The Damned (2025), director Cillian O'Donoghue crafts an Irish suspense horror as stark and beautiful, cold, brittle, and technically smooth throughout. This is a film that thrives on restraint, using its sparse tone and captivating visuals to weave a narrative that chills and unnerves in a gradual build of suspense toward an ending that is sure to polarize viewers, but didn't shake my appreciation for the work done here.

The cinematography is artful, capturing the bleak Irish winter with an almost painterly precision. Every frame feels like an homage to the unforgiving beauty of the landscape, its starkness reflected in the film's slow, deliberate pacing and monochromatic tone. Sound design, too, plays a pivotal role, its eerie minimalism amplifying each creak, embedding you further into the frigid isolation of the story. The choral arrangements would likely be a great bedtime playlist, ironically. It is really a lovely film in every respect.

The performances are remarkably grounded. The cast-largely unknown outside the indie circuit-delivers believable, deeply human portrayals. There's a rawness to the acting that feels uncomfortably intimate, as if we're eavesdropping on lives unraveling under forces both internal and external. The characters become evermore haggard and emotionally frayed as the story advances, directed in a way that gives them unique voices, but stops short of what I feel like are tired tropes or predictable character flaws. Honestly, it's hard to find much fault in anyone, or perhaps everyone is at fault. The complexity allowed the cast keeps us from feeling that they are relegated to serving a plot point or being a token character for effect. Complementing this is a script that resists the temptation of over-exposition, allowing the quiet moments of dread and despair to breathe.

For those willing to immerse themselves in its slow-burn intensity, The Damned offers a masterclass in atmospheric tension up to the last few frames. The film builds unease through carefully constructed character moments, blending just enough elements of the horror genre to keep viewers unnerved without devolving into predictability. Obviously, its borrowing from great movies (I particularly though of The Thing and The Fog at times), but it feels fresh enough in setting and in performance that I felt it was a fair borrow, especially for a little-known cast and director. It's the cinematic equivalent of walking alone in the snow, glancing over your shoulder not because you've seen something-but because you feel something.

Without prior knowledge of its plot-blissfully free of trailer-spawned expectations-I found myself drawn in by the opening moments. The setup was both simple and effective, like the first step into an icy river: deceptively inviting but carrying an undertow of menace.

The ending, however, will undoubtedly divide audiences. As has been noted by others, its jarring and ambiguous nature may leave some baffled, others frustrated. Yet, for me, it didn't detract from the experience. Albeit a bit clumsily delivered, I appreciated that the director intended more for the story, I just wish it felt a little more earned in the end.

After a year awash with uninspired horror offerings like Imaginary or Tarot, The Damned stands as a hauntingly good film that deserved far more recognition than it received.

If you're willing to brave the cold, it's a delightfully chilling jaunt into the depths of winter.

I havent seen someone this wet since my ex girlfriend. He was creepy, but like everyone else is saying that was one of the worst endings I've ever seen. It was almost like they wanted to make you think, but their really wasn't much to think on. It was just horribly bad and meaningless. The cinematography was great, the actors were spot on. It was enjoyable the whole movie, just for it to be ruined within minutes. The screenwriter damned us all. Im not sure how they were ever allowed to roll with this. Them going crazy was a nice fit and touch, Im still confused how it ties in with the ending but maybe ill have to look that up because I truly don't get it.

Saw at AMC with Nicole 1-6-2025.

So if you want to have something to put you to sleep, this movie will do the job in no time. By far one of the slowest films, boring films, go nowhere films I've watched in 2025. It starts off slow, it flows slow, and it ends up slow. The film literally and I mean this goes absolutely nowhere it is one of the most boring films I have ever watched so if you're looking for a awesome sleep tonic with some great scenery this film the damned, will not disappoint. Gone all the days of good storytelling and I really wish that I could watch a film from the beginning to the end and just truly have a good time but them days are over.

The lead actress is Odessa is the best aspect about this film her emotions and charm is everything worth worthing; she was even better in Assassination Nation at least to me. The Damned is solid I understand any mixed vibes it's mostly about an entity in folk tale style setting which was nice for what it is. A little slow, fun celebrating bit, unique scenery, and decent entertainment value there's not a lot to say about everything, there's better folk horror like The Witch and Midsummer is a masterpiece! A little unfortunate there's not more showings though I enjoyed the bulk of it, would recommend regardless of anything.

The Damned is a slow burn, psychological thriller with a few moments of horror/gore. The tone is ominous and tense for the duration of the movie and you often feel something awful is about to happen which doesn't always occur. Music and sound during scenes cutting from one to the next are done very well to increase the feeling of foreboding and dread. If you've seen Haunting of Hill House on Netflix, it's along those lines as far as the level of horror. There is a lot to like about the film - cinematography, costumes, music, scenery, etc. The performances from the actors is also believable and compelling.

The "twist" ending is going to be what makes/breaks the film for the audience. Personally, I think if that final moment wasn't there, it would still be a satisfying ending to a horror film. Not trying to give away spoilers - but will add that the final sequence is one that makes the audience think and re-evaluate the events in the movie which I think is fun! If it angers you, then forget that happened and just acknowledge that it was a great scary movie. The reveal sequence is very abrupt and then the movie just ends which is totally intentional. You're left to ponder and draw your own conclusions. My husband and I had a lively conversation about what the ending meant for the entirety of the film on the drive home and isn't that what good psychological/mystery movies are for?

Overall, this was a refreshing "horror" film which wasn't over the top with gore (which I grow tired of). It was more classically spooky with slow build ups, figures in shadows, and characters that are absolutely terrified of the unknown. The artistry of the film deserves recognition even if you're left disgruntled by the ending.

This was a film that I got the chance to see thanks to Amelia from Strike Media. She sent over a screener and let me know that this was slated to be released in early 2025. Since I struggle to find new releases, I decided to make this a featured review on Journey with a Cinephile. It saved me time, which during this stretch of the year is appreciated. Other than that, I came blind knowing that this was a Nordic horror film.

Synopsis: a 19th-century widow is tasked with making an impossible choice when, during an especially cruel winter, a ship sinks off the coast of her impoverished Icelandic fishing village.

We start this with voice-over narration from our lead character. She is the widow from the synopsis, Eva (Odessa Young). I get the idea that she owns the boat that this fishing community uses, or something along these lines. It seems that her now deceased husband owned it and then that shifted to her. The company is run by Ragner (Rory McCann). With him is his son named Daniel (Joe Cole). They work with Hakon (Turlough Convery), Jonas (Lewis Gribben), Skuli (Francis Magee) and Aron (Mícheál Óg Lane). We learn through what she says that they've hit a rough patch, food is scarce and they're not sure what they're going to do.

They're faced with a tough dilemma. A ship has crashed at the mouth of their bay. The men want to help. Ragner says they can't. Eva sides with him. To not be disrespectful, they won't go fishing that day. It also seems a way to not draw attention to them. Eva walks to the beach and finds a rope. It is connected to a net that leads her to a barrel. Inside of it is food. Ragner tastes it, to find that it is good. It is decided then that before the currents change to see if there is anything else they can salvage from the sunken ship.

This turns out to be disastrous. They find that there are survivors on a rock near the wreck. This group and our fishing company don't speak the same language. The survivors try to get on their boat and this causes a fight. Daniel kills one of them and Ragner is lost in the fray. The company members head back to camp and try to figure out what to do next.

It gets dark here as Helga (Siobhan Finneran), a woman who helps out at the camp, believes that an entity is now haunting them. The men are superstitious and fear grows. Eva wants to alleviate the fear. There are just unexplained things happening, as members of the group disappear and others descend into madness. She must figure out the cause before it is too late and spells disaster for this group.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is that this is a great film to watch in the middle of winter. It feels cold, there is snow and ice in this isolated location. What adds to it is that the surroundings of this camp are bleak. Then knowing this group doesn't have food adds to it. I thought that this did an excellent job of setting this all up. You just know that the water around them is frigid and that the land itself is unforgiving. That is the first thing I wanted to credit here.

Then from there, you have the guilt of not saving the people from the shipwreck. Ragner is right though, they don't have enough food for them let alone more people. That is a different decision to make so I'm not shocked to see members of this group then descend into madness. Then you couple that with them being superstitious people. This takes place in the mid-1800s. You have people here that follow Christianity, but when you get isolated like this and people that historically don't, they would revert to pagan ideas. There's also that idea that if something works, you put your faith in it. I do love Eva trying to keep the sanity and having Helga keep her fears to herself. Then when this other woman disappears, it is hard to not worry even more. These first two things definitely work together in building tension.

Now this is listed as folk horror. I wanted to include that here as I delve more into this idea. We get a story that could either be something supernatural is happening, a logical explanation or a combination of both. What is interesting here is that for a majority, we are leaning into there being an entity that is stalking them. Eva doesn't believe it and she's trying to keep the men from the camp with her. There are things that she can't explain though so she's on the verge of descending with them. I do like that we get the explanation at the end. It allows us to decide up until then. I don't love where it goes, but I respect the filmmaker's decision.

I'll then shift over to next to discuss the filmmaking. I've already gushed over the setting. The cinematography and the framing help there for sure. There is something that is breathtaking about capturing that bleak and coldness. It also displays that isolation. Now there are limited effects used. I'm not sure how much of that is practical and how much is CGI, but what helps is that it is out of focus. There is something here where we see behind a character and they don't. That gets under my skin so credit for that. I'd also say that the soundtrack fit what was needed in building the atmosphere.

All that is left then is acting performances. I thought that Young was good as our lead. She is in over her head after Ragner goes missing. She is doing her best, but I love that she then starts to wonder. McCann is good as Ragner. I like that he commands respect and then there's despair when he is lost in the bay. Cole, Convery, Gribben, Magee and Lane are all solid as the different members of the team. I also like Fenneran as the superstitious woman who helps build fear and atmosphere with those beliefs. There are a limited number outside of that who help round out what else is needed.

In conclusion, I thought that this was an interesting folk horror film to help kick off 2025. The best part here is the setting and how the filmmaking techniques are able to capture it. That makes it almost a character in itself. The acting performances, especially from Young also help there as we watch this group try to survive and not lose their minds. This is more of a character study watching them survive these elements. I'd also say that this was well-made by the soundtrack and design to build tension. Even though I don't love where it ends up, I still think this is one that is worth a watch if you enjoy movies like this. Be warned, it is a slow-burn as it develops these elements.

My Rating: 7 out of 10.

What a boring movie. Emotionally stunted characters, lack of action through almost the entire first half aside from a 2 minute part. Very little buildup. Some tense moments that turned into some pretty good jump-scares but other than that, there was just nothing to this movie. No substance, not a lot of drama, you couldn't even understand what some of the people were saying half the time because they mumbled. The ending was just terrible. As soon as the credits started rolling everyone in the theater groaned, got up and said that it was a complete waste of time which we agreed with wholeheartedly. Don't waste an hour and a half watching this. Go watch something better.

I recently watched The Damned, a film set in a 19th-century Arctic fishing outpost that immerses you in a chilling narrative of survival and moral ambiguity. The story centers on Eva, a young widow managing the outpost during a brutal winter with dwindling supplies. When a shipwreck occurs nearby, the crew faces moral dilemmas and supernatural threats as they struggle to survive.

Odessa Young delivers a compelling performance as Eva, capturing the character's resilience and vulnerability. The film's atmospheric setting and slow-building tension drew me in, effectively conveying the isolation and harshness of the Arctic environment. The cinematography showcases the bleak, unforgiving landscape, enhancing the sense of dread that permeates the narrative.

However, some plot elements felt predictable, and the pacing lagged in parts, which slightly diminished the overall impact. Despite these minor issues, The Damned offers a haunting and immersive experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

An ice-cold folk horror that's as steeped in Scandinavian myth as it is enveloped in the freezing climate, The Damned is patient in its approach, measured in its execution, and makes excellent use of the elements to deliver a silently unnerving & incessantly disquieting chiller that sustains its mystery & foreboding aura with ease and is also steered by strong inputs from its committed cast.

Written & directed by Tholdur Palsson in his feature film debut, the story unfolds in 19th century Icelandic village caught in the midst of a cruel winter and follows a widow tasked with a difficult choice. The setup is terrific, immersing us into its isolated setting effortlessly, and quietly brings claustrophobia into play as weather worsens & death grips the town. Finely scripted too but the ending is a mixed bag.

The remote Icelandic location, harsh surroundings, wintry ambience, ominous mood, controlled camerawork, glacial pace & tense score, all contribute in creating an environment of existential dread which is then elevated by sincere performances. The tension & suspense is bone-chilling at times and the sinister feeling not only lingers but it also gets under the skin every now n then. The finale however didn't work for me.

Overall, The Damned does capture the eeriness of an evil lurking in the shadows but then also doesn't do much with that often repeated setup. Palsson's direction exhibits plenty of promise but his script required more fine tuning, for the ending doesn't provide a satisfying payoff. The slow-burn narrative, terrific use of atmosphere & sturdy work from the cast help make the ride interesting but this Icelandic horror had much more to offer.