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The Severed Sun

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The Severed Sun

Released May 16

1h 20m

Horror

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Popcornmeter

75%

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12 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In the heart of an isolated religious community, The Pastor delivers his fervent sermons to a devoted congregation. But dark secrets fester. In the depths of the forest, The Pastor's daughter, Magpie, takes desperate action, ending the life of her abusive husband. Little does she know, his murder will unleash a malevolent force--a mysterious beast with shimmering white eyes. As weeks pass, suspicion and paranoia grip the community, with accusatory fingers pointed at Magpie. The Pastor struggles to restore Magpie's dwindling faith, and he is unable to bring her back into "The Truth." Faith is fragile, and Magpie is hell bent on rebelling against the hypocrisy of her father. When the Beast leaves a trail of gruesome carnage, a brutal witch hunt ignites. In this gripping tale of faith, fear, and the darkness within, friendships crumble, loyalties are tested, and the community hurtles toward self-destruction.

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Joel Harley

Starburst

Like everything else, the creature design is simple but effective, setting this entry into the subgenre apart from the rest.

Rated: 4/5

May 21, 2025

Full Review

Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

Right and wrong are blurry concepts here. What might mean justice for an individual could be devastating to the community.

Rated: 3/5

May 19, 2025

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Josh Goller

Spectrum Culture

While the film is beautifully shot...with fog rolling over the river and sunlight streaking through a canopy of branches, the narrative is heavy on witch-hunt tropes and offers little originality, its characters never developed much beyond archetypes.

Rated: 2.5/5

May 19, 2025

Full Review

Sarah Vincent

Sarah G Vincent Views

“The Severed Sun” (2024) is another all sizzle, no steak entry in folk horror.

May 17, 2025

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Hannah Gearan

Screen Rant

The Severed Sun is not one of the strongest horror movies of the year so far, but I had an absolute blast watching Dean Puckett's feature debut.

Rated: 5/10

May 16, 2025

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Mark Dujsik

Mark Reviews Movies

It's a shame the whole thing doesn't add up to much on a narrative or thematic level.

Rated: 2.5/4

May 16, 2025

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Diet Dr. Paul .

While it’s definitely not a perfect movie, there is so much to love about this movie. From the acting, to the story and the gore is the perfect level of over the top to match the rest of the film. If it were just a little tighter it could have been been even better.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/27/25

Full Review

suresh k

The Severed Sun is a slow-burning, atmospheric gut-punch—part folk horror, part psychological unraveling. Dean Puckett nails the tone: eerie, grounded, and totally unforced. He pulls natural performances from a cast that feels lived-in, not staged, and lets the tension breathe. It’s not flashy—it’s confident. One of those films that quietly buries itself under your skin.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/20/25

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Dean Puckett

Director

Emma Appleton

Magpie

Toby Stephens

The Pastor

Jodhi May

Actor

Lewis Gribben

David

Barney Harris

John

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Synopsis

In the heart of an isolated religious community, The Pastor delivers his fervent sermons to a devoted congregation. But dark secrets fester. In the depths of the forest, The Pastor's daughter, Magpie, takes desperate action, ending the life of her abusive husband. Little does she know, his murder will unleash a malevolent force--a mysterious beast with shimmering white eyes. As weeks pass, suspicion and paranoia grip the community, with accusatory fingers pointed at Magpie. The Pastor struggles to restore Magpie's dwindling faith, and he is unable to bring her back into "The Truth." Faith is fragile, and Magpie is hell bent on rebelling against the hypocrisy of her father. When the Beast leaves a trail of gruesome carnage, a brutal witch hunt ignites. In this gripping tale of faith, fear, and the darkness within, friendships crumble, loyalties are tested, and the community hurtles toward self-destruction.

Director: Dean Puckett
Producer: Rebecca Wolff, Jude Goldrei
Screenwriter: Dean Puckett
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Production Co: British Film Institute (BFI), Lunar Lander Films, Onsight, Grasp The Nettle Films, HH5, Bankside Films, Falmouth University, Creative England, iFeatures, Screen Growth Production Fund, BBC Film
Genre: Horror
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 16, 2025
Runtime: 1h 20m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.66:1)

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