The Haunting of Pendle Hill

A nice attempt to put together a horror film on a budget. Bad actors and a badly concocted story are reminiscent of "The Asylum" quality.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You know, it's always interesting to see a movie made by a filmmaker whose ambition outstrips his talent. Such is the case with Richard John Taylor's "The Haunting of Pendle Hill", an atmospheric film based loosely on some real-life witch trials in rural England in 1612. While the cinematography of the rural countryside it lovely, the film itself struggles to build any suspense or interest. Some of this may be due to a low budget, but most of it hinges on the fact that it's bloody difficult to keep an audience engaged with the "slow burn" method when the story and/or actor's performances don't create any momentum or rising tension. And, as the title of this review implies, there are a few glaring period glitches. It's not a technical stinker (most of the film seems very competently made), it just doesn't deliver in terms of action or scares.

Having grown up 20 minutes away from where this movie was set and having known about the history of the Pendle witches since childhood, I was utterly disappointed with this movie and it's delivery.

The dialogue is one dimensional and the acting as a result, is flat and lifeless. Ongoing time jumps to the past add the the frustration of the story, which doesn't really go anywhere with any energy or drive. Even the drone scenery shots and panoramic views are clearly from other areas of the UK, possibly either the Lake District or North Wales, which are both over an hour and a half away from Pendle Hill itself. This adds to the inauthenticity of the production and lack of atmosphere throughout.

If you are hoping for a classic or intelligent 'horror in the woods' type movie or even a classic witch or haunting tale, you will be very disappointed. Much of the movie simply revolves around a script that warns the protagonist about how haunted the woods are without actually delivering the goods. The build up transpires to nothing more than a big and somewhat ridiculous let down of a climax, having relied upon the awful dialogue that prevails throughout to get the viewer there.

I don't usually write reviews, but having known the area and the history of the Pendle witches all of my life, I felt compelled to save potential future viewers of this movie from watching. If you want genuine horror, you are better off reading a true account of what happened to the Pendle Witches, instead of watching this abomination.

Acting terrible and cheesy a 3 year old could do better IT WASNT EVEN SET IN PENDIL HILL I LIVE 20 MINUTES AWAY FROM IT I HAVE NO CLUE WHERE THEY FILMED BUT IT DEFFO WAS NOT PENDIL.

This movie was TERRIBLE, i've never watched a movie which made me feel the way i feel right now. I've wasted my time watching such a bad movie, even i could make a better one with some friends of mine. NEVER EVER WATCH THIS!!!!!!!