The Vigil

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1:52

The Vigil

PG-13

2021

1h 30m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

90%

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118 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Steeped in ancient Jewish lore and demonology, THE VIGIL is a supernatural horror film set over the course of a single evening in Brooklyn's Hasidic Borough Park neighborhood. Low on funds and having recently left his insular religious community, Yakov reluctantly accepts an offer from his former rabbi and confidante to take on the responsibility of an overnight "shomer," fulfilling the Jewish practice of watching over the body of a deceased community member. Shortly after arriving at the recently departed's dilapidated house to sit the vigil, Yakov begins to realize that something is very, very wrong.

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Critics Consensus

Consistently clever and creepy, The Vigil mines richly atmospheric supernatural horror from a deep well of religious traditions.

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Udita Jhunjhunwala

Scroll.in

A quintessential low-budget supernatural horror, The Vigil mines Jewish folklore and rituals to create an effective sub-genre experience.

May 1, 2021

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

This is a really damn good horror film made on a tight budget with almost one location only, and it never drags. They find really exciting ways to use this location to their advantage.

Rated: B+

Mar 30, 2021

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Christy Lemire

FilmWeek (LAist)

They accomplish so much here with what is clearly a low budget and basically one location. It's terrifying.

Mar 10, 2021

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

This is the one-man-in-a-room film that so many directors have tried, and few have succeeded... The Vigil just about gets over the line, offering up atmosphere, jump scares and just enough social commentary to keep your eyes glued to the screen...

Rated: 4/5

Jul 28, 2025

Full Review

Lindsey Romain

Nerdist

Writer and director Keith Thomas knows how to keep us invested, and cinematographer Zach Kuperstein makes excellent use of the dark setting.

Rated: 3.5/5

Feb 14, 2024

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Ezequiel Boetti

Otroscines.com

The [horror] mechanics employed throughout the movie become a bit repetitive and on-the-nose, making the audience a mere witness to an atonement. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 2.5/5

Jul 27, 2023

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Fire T.

The ending made this movie a hundred times worse. Screw this movie!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/18/25

Full Review

Jacob B

Dark, atmospheric and well acted. It only suffers from what at lot of horror films suffer from as of late: a climax that doesn’t equal the buildup. I’d still recommend it as a great watch on a cold Fall night.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/16/25

Full Review

Eswaran W

A really good watch, but it had so much more potential. The battle between good and evil was a bit meh...

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/04/25

Full Review

Paul M

A hidden gem that put a relatively fresh spin on an old horror movie concept. A slow burn with tons of atmosphere and solid acting, cinematography and sound design. It’s got everything you need to make a solid, above average haunted house movie

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/10/25

Full Review

Jay A

Creepy, but the "battle" was very weak. - Jewish demon, watching over a dead body was creepy enough of a story. Had tremendous potential

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/29/24

Full Review

Goran G

Very unsettling and disturbing movie. Eerie and chilling. Would consider it a great one if it wasn't for that lame and unsatisfying ending. Still, that shouldn't stop anyone from watching it, the rest of it is worthy! Definitely a must see for the fans of psychological supernatural horror.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/23/24

Full Review

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The Vigil: Trailer 1

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The Vigil: Teaser Trailer

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Synopsis

Steeped in ancient Jewish lore and demonology, THE VIGIL is a supernatural horror film set over the course of a single evening in Brooklyn's Hasidic Borough Park neighborhood. Low on funds and having recently left his insular religious community, Yakov reluctantly accepts an offer from his former rabbi and confidante to take on the responsibility of an overnight "shomer," fulfilling the Jewish practice of watching over the body of a deceased community member. Shortly after arriving at the recently departed's dilapidated house to sit the vigil, Yakov begins to realize that something is very, very wrong.

Director: Keith Thomas
Producer: J.D. Lifshitz, Adam Margules, Raphael Margules
Screenwriter: Keith Thomas
Distributor: IFC Midnight
Production Co: Blumhouse Productions, BoulderLight Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Some Disturbing/Violent Images|Brief Strong Language|Terror|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 26, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 26, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $50.3K
Runtime: 1h 30m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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