Cursed

Don't be deceived by the 6.2 rating (at the time of writing); this movie is far from good-barely even average. If you have an hour and a half to spare and nothing better to do, then maybe, just maybe, it's worth a watch.

From the start, the movie struggles to find its footing. It claims to be set in Romania, but the setting is blatantly inaccurate. A quick Google search would have revealed what Romania actually looks like, yet the filmmakers chose a location that's clearly a generic piece of farmland in the U. S. This lack of attention to detail immediately detracts from the immersion.

The main character is another major letdown. Rarely have I encountered a protagonist so insufferable-even in the most amateur indie films. Within the first 15 minutes, the character's actions and decisions become intolerable, making it difficult to stay invested in the story.

The plot itself is generic, offering nothing new or engaging. The only saving grace is the female lead, in an otherwise lackluster production. She deserved a better script and story to support her.

Save yourself the time unless you're curious to see the one redeeming performance.

Good stuff. True folk horror. A previous reviewer complained about not liking the lead character or his choices. I don't think they understand folk horror or what this movie was trying to do. This is not a likable, relatable protagonist on a hero's journey type of movie. They could have read the description of the movie and figured out it wasn't for them.

The make up was outstanding. All the performances were really good. The whole movie was really immersive. When I started it I was goofing around on my phone, but the movie quickly drew in my full attention.

My only complaint is that the person who made the poster never saw the movie. Haha.

While on vacation in Romania, an American tourist seeks shelter at the home of a mysterious woman in a rural village as he travels through the country, but when he mistakenly upsets his host with his actions finds himself undergoing a vicious and devastating transformation curse.

This was a fairly solid indie effort that's a bit better than expected. One of the best elements of this one is the fairly solid storyline throughout here that provides a great take on a special brand of genre focus. Initially appearing as a standard foreigner-in-a-lost-land genre effort with his trials and tribulations getting around the country and then stumbling upon the house where the cultural differences between them are readily apparent the more he stays there, it comes upon a familiar-enough setup at first. It's when the outcome of the situation isn't to cause the scenario to start a rampage with the loosened creature stalking him but rather beginning an impressive series of physical transformations that signal the start of a supernatural curse for his offending actions. Mixing it all together with the idea of him needing to stay there for medical care keeps the visions foretelling the change that adds an extra layer to what's going on. On top of that, the idea of the slow-burn build to the exploits of the curse comes off rather well here. The treatment once he arrives and suffers from the lingering medical condition that keeps him there starts this off on an ominous mood as the visitation by the local woman that he inadvertently offends creates a strong starting impression here while helping to explore the fact that his guilt over his mother meshes perfectly with the relationship the woman has with the local. After the fateful accident occurs and he's forced to lie about it, the psychological tortures and mind-games exhibited manage to bring about a logical enough series of sequences that help to explore the curse brought about that gets better when it starts to become more obvious what's going on in the later half involving the genuine transformation scenes of his skin peeling and flaking off to reveal the truth underneath. These manage to be the film's more likable aspects although there are some issues here holding this one back. The biggest drawback with this one is the far more restrained tempo that focuses far more on the build-up to the actual transformation than anything else. Far too much of the running time is spent on these mind games that go back and forth with the idea of whether or not she's going to do anything to punish him for what happened and it manages to drag along quite limply with whether or not she's aware of the transgressions. While it sets up the finale quite well, being the only action scenes in the film makes this take quite a while before it gets going and starts in on the more likable transformation on the later end. There's also the issue with the low-budget presentation here that manages to be quite obvious, from the fake shooting location clearly not in that part of the world, the limited scale and scope of the storyline, and the limited effects that all point to its lowered origins and keep this one down overall.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, and Brief Nudity.

Very atmospheric and isolated, the setting lends credence and sympathy to Billy Brannigan's Gordon. Mr. Brannigan flawlessly navigated a huge range of emotions in this. Guilt, fear, desperation, contentment, gratitude, and grief. It boggles my mind how this actor manages to still stay under the "Hollywood Radar."

Sarah Bonrepaux's Zulema, is also a tour de force of deception, fear, isolation, hardship, happiness, and sadism. A beautiful young woman, Ms. Bonrepaux makes every turn of her character believable and, on occasion, unexpected.

Patrick Corcoran has crafted a phenomenally intriguing tale that weaves grief, loss, hardship, and folklore together masterfully. The effects were fantastic, and at time quite cringeworthy (not bad cringeworthy of it being lame or obviously faked, but cringeworthy of being able to imagine what it would feel like because it looks so real!)

I cannot recommend this movie enough!

Cursed (2024) is a recently added movie on Tubi. The story follows a tourist who arrives in Romania and has unsettling encounters with the locals before retreating to an isolated cabin in the woods. As strange occurrences escalate, he begins to realize they aren't just visions-something inside him is changing.

Directed by Patrick Corcoran in his directorial debut, the film stars Leanne Johnson (Extraction, USA), Sarah Bonrepaux (Cam2Cam), and Billy Brannigan (Life Coach).

Despite its low budget, the acting is surprisingly solid. Sarah Bonrepaux delivers a standout performance as the female supporting character, and I'd definitely seek out more of her work in the genre. The costumes and settings are well-executed, creating an immersive atmosphere. While the special effects are limited, the kills are creative, with some enjoyable gore, and the transformation scene at the end exceeded my expectations. The storyline held my attention throughout, making it a pleasant surprise.

In conclusion, Cursed isn't a great film, but it's entertaining enough for fans of holiday horror. I'd rate it a 5/10.