Apostle (2018) Movie Review

 

Apostle | 2018 | 2h 10m
Genre: Body Horror/Dark Fantasy/Folk Horror/Psychological Drama/Psychological Thriller/Drama/Fantasy/Horror/Mystery | Country: US-UK
Director: Gareth Evans | Writers: Gareth Evans
Cast: Dan Stevens, Richard Elfyn, Paul Higgins
IMDB: 6.3
My Rate: 8/10

Thomas must go to a remote island where a mysterious cult resides to save his kidnapped younger sister for ransom, but he instead discovers a dark secret he never imagined before.

Warning:

Contains scenes of violence, sex, drugs, alcohol, and smoking.

 

Synopsis:

Thomas (Dan Stevens) receives a letter from his sister, Jenifer (Elen Rhys), who was kidnapped by a group of cult followers from Erisden Island. A remote island inhabited only by the cult members. They demand Jenifer’s father come to the island with ransom if he wants Jenifer to be released. However, this is impossible due to Jenifer’s father’s poor condition. Therefore, Thomas plans to go to the island to save Jenifer.

Thomas does not plan to pay the ransom, so he comes without it. Thomas infiltrates the island by disguising himself and pretending to be one of the cult followers, while searching for information about Jenifer’s whereabouts. However, Thomas sees things he finds unusual, including the book used and the presence of a ‘prophet’ named Malcom and his two henchmen, Frank and Quinn. Additionally, each follower is required to sacrifice their blood, which is given to a terrifying mysterious figure.

Thomas accidentally sees Jeremy, Frank’s son, secretly romantically involved with Ffion, Quinn’s daughter. Thomas uses this as a threat against Jeremy and makes Jeremy assist in achieving his goal. However, Malcom and his henchmen realize that the person who will save Jenifer is hiding among the new followers who have just arrived on the island.

To uncover the infiltrator’s identity, Malcom brings Jenifer and displays her in the middle of the village. They threaten to kill Jenifer if the person does not reveal themselves. Thomas feels pressured but must try to restrain himself while devising a strategy to free Jenifer.

Will Thomas succeed in rescuing Jenifer?

 
Review:

Apostle is a film with an interesting theme, though it may feel a bit heavy. It is presented with many surprises, making this 2-hour and 10-minute film not boring. Although the early middle part feels a bit slow, it serves as a strong foundation to build the story background and characters.

The story is presented systematically using a forward narrative. The conflict arises gradually and is well presented because a strong background has been established. The tension is also felt through the characters. Viewers will witness several fight scenes and even some horrifying moments.

The conflict resolution is done very well. The mysteries are gradually revealed, allowing the audience to understand the hidden story. It even delivers an ending that is not too surprising but still interesting.

However, there are some unanswered questions, such as the origin of The Goddess, the identity of The Grinder, and how the island itself works. Although toward the end, these are gradually revealed through cave drawings and Quinn’s explanations, it still feels somewhat unclear. Also unclear are their methods of recruiting followers and how they managed to kidnap Jenifer.

The acting by both main and supporting actors is very good. The performances look natural and not stiff. The interactions among the actors are well built. There are no dialogues or scenes that feel useless or meaningless. Everything comes together to build the story into an engaging presentation.

Technically, camera movements are done very well. Every scene detail is presented in proper proportion. The choice of music and sound effects is also well executed, adding tension to the scenes.

Overall, this film is interesting to watch, especially for those who enjoy psychological thriller and dark fantasy themes.

 

Memorable scene:

Malcom and his followers try to lure Thomas out of hiding by parading Jenifer around the village. At that moment, Thomas must witness the torture Jenifer receives without being able to do anything. Because if his identity is revealed, the chance to save Jenifer will be lost.

In this scene, we can see how Thomas battles with his mind and feelings. The dilemma he experiences where he wants to immediately save Jenifer but must also be patient with time. The lesson learned is that we must remain calm under pressure so that the results achieved meet expectations.

 

Memorable dialogue:

"I swore it would never take you"

 

Ending:

Cliffhanger

 

Recommendation:

Worth to Watch

(Aluna)