Ramola Garai’s ‘Amulet’ (2020) Drips With Malice—Movie Review

Amulet is a moody, atmospheric, dazzling new horror film written and directed by the very talented Golden Globe nominee Ramola Garai (Atonement 2007). It stars Imelda Staunton (Harry Potter franchise), Carla Juri (Blade Runner 2049 2017), Alec Secarenu (God’s Own Country 2017), and Angeliki Papoulia (Dogtooth 2009). Primarily known as an actress, Ramola Gari has thrown her hat in the directing ring. I’m the first to admit that I am a HUGE fan, so I jumped at the chance to review her feature length directorial debut. And, she did not disappoint.

Synopsis:

An ex-soldier, living homeless in London, is offered a place to stay at a decaying house inhabited by a young woman and her dying mother. As he starts to fall for her, he cannot ignore his suspicion that something sinister is going on.

The film starts out with Tomaz (Secarenu), who is living in London as a refugee in a shelter. Suffering from terrible PTSD, he duct tapes his hands and feet at night to keep from clawing himself. He narrowly survives an attack from an anti-immigrant group who burns down the shelter where he’s staying. When he awakens in the hospital, he meets the kindly Sister Claire (Staunton), who offers him a place to stay at a woman’s, Magda (Juri), ramshackle house as long as he helps to fix up the place, but she is less than thrilled. Tomaz eventually becomes determined to stay when he realizes that Magda is being abused by her elderly mother whom she cares for that lives on the top floor of her house. Magda and Tomaz soon grow close, but his past from the war continues to haunt him, including his previous relationship with a woman, Miriam (Papoulia). Then, Tomaz begins to suspect that something more sinister than an old woman lurks in the room above …

Amulet succeeds in atmosphere on every level. It maintains a brooding, persistent sense of dread that never lets up until the last frame of the film. It’s a rare feat accomplished through a skilled use of photography and a haunting musical score that positively drips with malice. All the characters in the film seem to carry this same feeling with them. Saying much more would be giving away spoilers, but I will say there is a theme running through Malice that it shows it’s impossible to outrun your past.

The acting is superb. Secarenu is both strong and vulnerable as Tomaz, who practically staggers at times under the heavy weight of his past. From the glimpses of it we see in the flashbacks, we suspect that he, too, is hiding something dark from us. Juri does an excellent job as the weary Magda, who is desperate to rid herself of the responsibility of caring for her mother. But the real scene stealer here is Imelda Staunton as Sister Claire, who may or may not be the helpful, kind soul she claims to be. It’s impossible to keep your eyes off of her when she’s in a scene. These three characters are skillfully directed by Romola Garai in an almost folk-tale-like atmosphere that reeks of evil.

Where Amulet falls a little short for me is in terms of pacing. It almost takes a little too long to get going at the start, and runs the risk of losing the more impatient viewer. But when the film does get going it certainly goes like gangbusters! And those who choose to stick with it are in for a treat by the end, as Amulet has a very wicked twist that makes it absolutely worth the viewing.

I would categorize this as more of an art house horror film in the vein of The Witch (2016 – read our review here) than a traditional horror film. Those that tune in for blood and guts will walk away disappointed. But for the viewer seeking an eerie, thoughtful film that pays off with a wallop, Amulet fits the bill. I absolutely recommend it and eagerly look forward to what Garai has in store for us next!