What Happens in A Dark Song'?
On one level,A Dark Songis about awoman willing to do anything for revenge.
Still, how long must she endure daily abuses before she wonders if the ritual even works?
Custom image by Nimesh Niyomal
There’s a lot of ground to cover with this movie if you stick with it.
Its a lot like a mash-up ofThe BabadookandThe Witch.
Sophias willingness to endure physical and mental torment for theoccultic ritualis ample proof of this.
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In its own way, it shifts the genre into somewhat of an uncharted territory.
By inserting Catholic themes into its occult framework,A Dark Songleans deeper into this sense of genre hybridization.
Its not just about traditional scares, but internal demons are in the mix.
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In this case, they are quite central to the entire unsettling experience.
Where otherslean into jump scaresand spooky scores to invoke fear,A Dark Songuses unbearable silence.
It goes without saying that this stillness isnt just for effect.
While it adds to the all-aroundminimalismof the film, its equally a reflection of her emotional and spiritual process.
As she grapples with her grief, the silence catalyzes her internal chaos.
Since the pandemic, weve had a burst of movies about people confined in a single setting.
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Still,A Dark Songremains unbeatable when it comes to creatingcreepiness in a confined space.
Image via IFC Midnight
