Raven's Hollow

I wanted to like this very badly. I love 1800 New England and autumnal settings and gothic horror. The whole setting and aesthetic was right up my alley. Unfortunately, this movie did not live up to my hopes.

The main problem, I'm sorry too say, is the acting. William Moseley is not up to the task of playing young Poe. I believe he's going for the whole 'stoic 1800s Northerner' thing, but he never drops this affect for a moment. He never seems scared or really terrribly affected by the goings on around him. The performance is overall much too flat. He can't carry off some of the flowery dialogue that is clearly inspired by Poe's writing. You never buy that the horrors in this movie turned this clean-cut cadet into a tortured gothic horror writer. He's just not Edgar Allan Poe.

Above average fare from Shudder... great use of light, and settings and atmosphere are exceptional for the budget.

I've always loved the appropriation of historical figures placed in fictional scenarios especially if the timeline lines up... and in this case it does indeed. A cursory search will reveal that Poe did attend West Point in 1930 and the season depicted suggests that the story takes place in Fall, which also works wonderfully.

The antagonist serving as an inspiration for Poe's famous 'Raven' - while somewhat expected - was also nicely tied in.

Slightly more on the Thriller side than Horror but come on, it's Edgar Allan Poe... it's Horror.

A bit sluggish at times but a great way to kick off this year's marathon.

6.5/10

#31DaysOfHalloween2022.

A very atmospheric film, made in true Gothic style, which will draw you into its story and separate you from our world. The film is surrounded by a wave of mystery, from the very beginning you feel that something is not right, but what is that something, who is Raven or what is Raven? Watch the film to find out, otherwise the film effects are excellent and the acting is top notch.

What I didn't like about the movie was the last 20 minutes, and that's why I didn't give it a 10/10. Those 20 minutes are somehow rushed, illogical, you simply get the impression that the film should not have gone in that direction.

However, due to the positive things listed above, I think it is worth watching and that the film has its own artistic connotation. My recommendation.

Simply another well made British detective, with quite beautiful, moody and dark photography. With some really solid acting performances. A tight knit story that is quite suspenseful. What more could I wish for in a detective?

Any bad? It isnt horror, although it is listed as a horror movie on Imdb. It isnt thrilling or intensely spooky either, but it has got a constant dark mood of doom that is quite fascinating to watch.

If I have to dig deep to find anything wrong I would like to say that the moment certain evil forces became visible (half way into the movie), I was disappointed a bit, because I always hold the stance that the evil which one cant see, is much more scary than CGI monsters. And the visualisation of this evil force wasnt done with the best CGI effects available nowadays. So that was (the only) minor letdown.

All in all, simply another solid British period detective story. Fans of the genre will be pleased (I guess).

A film about a young Edgar Allen Poe who finds strange things afoot in in spooky village of Ravens Hollow.

The film has 2 main themes, the first is the main story that concerns people being killed by having their hearts torn out by the 'Raven'. The second is preoccupied by touching on Poe's inspiration for his future as a writer. Beating hearts, tick. Ravens, tick. Etc. Etc.

Kate Dickie is wonderful and as terrifying as ever, the rest of the acting, not so much.

The movie starts well enough, creates a spooky atmosphere but cannot keep the tension going to the end.

I think with a little more money to spend on a competent director, better lighting and cast there would have been a decent film here. Shame.