Shepherd

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Logan D @Greynomad38 Dec 26 A Scottish shepherd (Tom Hughes) grieving his wife’s death relocates to a remote island, where landscape isolation and haunting visions blur reality with psychological collapse as the past catches up to him. If you cannot enjoy a film due to a thin plot and slow pacing, you likely won't enjoy this grim tale of grief set on an isolated island. I, however, loved it. It has a strong atmosphere that's full of dread, psychological horror, and a gorgeously bleak Scottish island featured for most of the film. The cinematography is stunning and the horror aesthetics subdued. Hughes and Kate Dickie (as a half blind boat captain) are extremely engaging in their roles. See more Eliza S @RT54473656 Dec 1 I've seen this movie three times now (twice at the cinema) and there's something new every time, little details you don't get the first time. I love the way it was shot and the imposing Scottish landscapes which create a creepy backdrop, the real effects they used (like miniatures) you don't see a lot these days and it gives the feel that the set it real and touchable, the director has such a visual eye and the way the pieces are put together is excellent. The script is subtle and nothing is over-explained, the movie assumes a smart audience. After a few years I will probably watch again - See more Brian M @RT45519128 10/04/2024 The real star of the show is the cinematographer, as a good portion of the movie consists of gorgeous but grim shots of the sublime Scottish landscape accompanied by dark ambient soundscapes. Other than that, not much happens—the pacing, as is the case with many contemporary horrors, is deliberate at best, not really propelled by character motivation or any real conflict so much as a series of vague clues suggesting mysterious and supposedly sinister presence being on the island with the protagonist—a rather flat character who serves little purpose other than giving the camera an excuse for investigating the scenery. Sure, the conflict is supposedly his attempt to deal with his wife’s death, but dialogue—a key formal element a lot of contemporary horror films seem to neglect—or really any kind of characterization (other than just moping around from task to task) would push this to the forefront more than the occasional creepy dream sequence. Much of the “shocks” derive from gimmicky use of flashbacks and dreams. See more Jack S @RT58840043 06/03/2024 An eerily atmospheric and bleakly lonely location makes for an effective purgatory for actor Hughes (quite good here), but unfortunately not a very satisfactory or original reflection on his character’s guilt-induced madness. Very slow moving and often more confusing than scary, note also that this one is definitely not for animal lovers! See more Jeffrey P @vanillavoodoo1 11/11/2023 Slow and uneventful with a stupid ending, See more brad p @Bradster69 02/23/2023 Shepherd‘s atmospherics remind of the brooding cinema of Robert Eggers. But while Russell Owen's sophomore effort is a step up for the director, it's held back by some thin character development. See more Read all reviews

Shepherd

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