I recently found this on Amazon and went into it with exceptionally low expectations based on the reviews. What I found was a rough around the edges but still really strong movie that talks as much about Irelands present and future as it does the past.
The Perished is an examination not about abortion. It's about the sins of Irelands past as a country. The shame we place on people for the choices they make if they don't align with ours. It's a film about the breakdown of communication and how that causes friends and family to fall apart.
The acting is not always the best and the writing is questionable at times with some scenes coming across melodramatic, while others feel too saccharine sweet but overall the films strength lies in the throbbing heart beating at the centre of the film. Watching the lead actress breakdown as she feels all societies stigma down upon her is not always easy to watch but makes her descent justified.
The special effects makeup is quite good given the lower budget nature of the film and some of the sound design is incredible. I did notice that when I watched it with my surround sound system some of the sound felt a bit muffled but I am not sure if that was a choice of the filmmakers to really put us inside the head of Sarah, the main character.
Is this a masterpiece? Absolutely not. But as far as low budget Irish horror goes, it's a really strong film that has more to say than people online led me to believe.
