The Righteous [Blu-ray]

The Righteous Blu-ray presents a brooding, monochrome occult horror that wrestles with grief, guilt, faith and redemption. Written and directed by Mark O’Brien in his striking feature debut, the film follows Frederic Mason, a former priest shattered by the death of his young daughter. Living in isolation with his wife Ethel in the bleak Newfoundland wilderness, Frederic’s fragile sense of faith is tested when a mysterious, wounded young man appears at their door seeking refuge. As Frederic offers shelter, he becomes convinced the stranger may represent a chance at spiritual atonement — or something far darker.

Shot in stark black and white by cinematographer Scott McClellan, The Righteous Blu-ray channels the austere intensity of Bergman and Pasolini into a slow-burning supernatural chamber piece. With powerful performances from Henry Czerny, Mimi Kuzyk and O’Brien himself, the film builds an atmosphere of moral unease and spiritual dread that culminates in a haunting final act, announcing O’Brien as a major new voice in genre cinema.

directed by: Mark O’Brien
starring: Henry Czerny, Mark O’Brien, Mimi Kuzyk, Kate Corbett
2021 / 96 min