There’s been quite a boom in the folk horror scene over the past decade and a half as filmmakers like Ben Wheatley, Robert Eggers, Ari Aster, Oz Perkins and Goran Stolevski have each crafted singular works within the genre. Sorcery – the latest effort from Chilean director Christopher Murray – is another refreshing spin on the subgenre that debuted at last year’s Sundance Festival. Produced by his fellow countryman Pablo Larrain, the film is a showcase of subtlety and atmosphere that opens with a chilling set piece. From here the groundwork is laid out for what seems will be a classic tale of supernatural revenge, but Sorcery has a far more melancholy trick up its sleeve.
Centred around the colonialism of German settlers on Chilean land, we follow the young Rosa Rain – a native servant who attempts to seek justice for the killing of her father by her master, the brutish Stefan. She first goes to the mayor, then the church, before she’s finally told to search for it within herself. As the earthy cinematography and brooding, bass-heavy score lead the way, we track Rosa as she meets Mateo – a mysterious man who leads her deep into the woods where she will find a group of native sorcerers who call themselves La Recta Provincia.
As the film moves the suggestion of vengeance lingers, yet all the while Murray presents an examination of grief that’s not only for Rosa dealing with the loss of her father. It’s also for the people who have lost their land and been cast into the caves of the surrounding woodland by the violent settlers. Those who’ve risen to power in the area are working with the cowardly mayor to take full control of a place the natives now hide from. Driven by Rosa’s desire for justice, the actions of La Recta Provincia only serve to incite the foreigners and the latter stages of the film transform into something akin to witch trials. These sequences are tough and unforgiving at times, but Rosa seems to exist around the edges – as if she’s been pushed out of view and can now only wander deeper into the darkness in a desperate quest to find an answer…
Following hot on the heels of Stolevski’s masterful You Won’t Be Alone, Sorcery is another fine example of meditative folk horror.
Following hot on the heels of Stolevski’s masterful You Won’t Be Alone, Sorcery is another fine example of meditative folk horror, where the brutal realities of the immediate world are tempered by a mysterious symbiosis with nature and power can be derived from unknown forces – which can act for good, or equally, can bring about evil. This almost Malickian idea of a greater force existing in the natural landscape is conveyed brilliantly through the score that, along with its rumbling bass lines, seems to consist of field recordings and odd instrumentation. These serve the visuals of looming branches, thunderous waves crashing against the beach, or vast foggy fields that suggest something ghostly is out there on the plains.
Of course, this all could become a little too gothic arthouse for many tastes, but the impressive performance from Valentina Véliz Caileo keeps the story grounded enough to appeal to a more general audience – as long as they’re not overly conditioned towards cheap jump scares (thankfully you won’t find a single one amongst this unnerving atmosphere).
Featuring an excellent premise, a superb leading performance and inspired technical craft at times, Sorcery is a must for any fan of folk horror, and in fact there’s enough here to recommend it beyond the boundaries of such a niche audience.
SORCERY IS PLAYING IN SELECTED UK CINEMAS ON 14TH JUNE 2024
