Unwelcome

This one is a Strange film. The start of the movie sets the story well and seems pretty normal but it doesn't stay normal. The longer you watch the more you wonder if you have switch to another movie mid way and then you get pulled back in. You love the characters and then hate them and them become unsure. Who is the bad people and who is the good people.

I was unsure about this movie but i came away confused. I am still not sure what i watched. It seemed to have 3 endings but then kept going. What can i say..... I really don't know that to say.

Watch and and see for yourself. I really can't recommend you to watch or miss this. I'm unsure myself.

This review will confuse you as much as this movie. My head hurts!

Strange film, it can't quite make up its mind if it is a home invasion movie or a horror movie or a fantasy creature feature comedy.

When it is horror it is quite good in a gruesome kind of way, when it is a home invasion it is either brutally violent of weirdly bloody funny.

Ridiculous characters, and awfully played? But I guess that was also supposed to be a funny element.

I didn't know what it was beforehand and actually forgot the title, I put Unwanted as the title in my calendar, a Freudian slip maybe?.

It passed the 6 laugh rule to qualify as a comedy at least, even though that was all in the second half.

It's not the straightforward horror I thought it was going to be or the one it started off as. Maybe a lot of other people took issue with that. It quickly becomes a beautiful-looking but slightly creepy fairy tale, before becoming a silly, violent black comedy in the end. I loved it all. It is sort of a dark cottagecore fantasy tale and I know that aesthetic is got right now.

The acting and cinematography are great (especially Hannah John-Kamen, who straight kills it), the special effects not so much. Still a very pleasant surprise. I did not think I would be as throughly entertained as I was.

Theres something endearing about this odd film.

Initially the outdoors shots look eerie and as if they are filmed in a studio.

The central couple are not entirely convincing. Its not clear why she would be with such a socially inept and irritating loser. And he is really irritating.

The Irish stereotypes come thick and fast as we are introduced to a strange combination of characters.

Always nice to see Niamh Cusack.

The builder family are just too weird-but-played-straight to take seriously. Theres just no way you would have them in your house, having met them.

There are various other totally unbelievable plot points .

The first time I saw the red caps I laughed out loud. Noone else did (though there were only 4 people in the cinema). I laughed at various other points as it all became more unbelievable.

The red caps are actually quite likeable little chaps that seem to have a sense of humour as they kill or are killed.

The whole thing feels a little 80's straight to video, but thats not a totally bad thing. Its got a quirky likeable quality.

It goes off the rails in the last 20 minutes, leaving one to question what they have just watched at the end.

For about half an hour I was very worried that this film was taking itself way too seriously given the premise. The concept is simply too outlandish for that. Thankfully it surrendered to itself, and a slightly cagey first act gives way to a hugely entertaining final hour.

I won't delve too much into the story as I think going in knowing as little as possible will very much elevate the experience. What I will say is that it is a very predictable but very enjoyable story. When they let rip and ramp up the humour and the action it's a blast.

The performances are all pretty solid. Nothing stand out but they work.

In terms of horror, it isn't particularly scary. I do think that there was potential to make this much scarier and give it more impact, so there is definitely a missed opportunity there.

Compared to other folk horror films I've seen lately such as The Feast or The Witch, this one is much more tongue in cheek. It has more of a Barbarian feel to it and is all the better for it. Sure it is a little laboured at times and easily 10 minutes too long, but it is a really fun watch.