🧊 Summary: A Chilling Folk Horror Movie About Guilt And Survival
The Damned is one of the most spine-chilling folk horrors I have come across. Set in the frozen 19th century Iceland, it was filmed by the Icelandic director Þórður Pálsson. The storyline follows Eva (portrayed by Odessa Young), a widowed woman who becomes the sole owner of her late husband’s remote fishing outpost after his death. As winter arrives along with severe weather conditions, Eva finds herself responsible for the survival of her husband’s crew.
During a horrific storm, a foreign vessel encounters shipwreck and the crew has to make the worst decision known. With no supplies left, they can either attempt a dangerous rescue or let the men perish.
They chose the latter. And that was perhaps the worst choice imaginable.
Before long, the crew begins suffering from paranoia and hallucinations. The thought of being hunted down by a draugr, a vengeful spirit from Norse mythology, creeps into their minds. Along with the extreme guilt the crew suffers from, reality starts melting away. It is now the responsibility of Eva to manage the developing insanity of those around her—and her own haunting internal struggles.
🎭 Main Cast:
Odessa Young as Eva – The steadfast and troubled widow whose command is undermined by dread and superstition.
Joe Cole as Daníel – The loyal crew member who becomes more and more suspicious of the others around him.
Siobhan Finneran as Helga – An older character of the camp who is cautious of everything supernatural.
Rory McCann as Ragnar – A obstinate fisherman who has reached his limits from being afraid.
Turlough Convery as Hákon – A skeptic who became a believer when the horrors started to roll out.
Lewis Gribben as Jónas – The emotionally vulnerable youngest crew member, tragically sensitive to their disintegration.
Francis Magee as Skúli – A legendary salt recounting the old tales.
Mícheál Óg Lane as Aron – A silent figure, but increasingly anxious.
🎬 Production Details:
Director: Þórður Pálsson
Screenwriter: Jamie Hannigan
Cinematography: Eli Arenson
Music: Stephen McKeon
Language: English
Genre: Folk Horror, Psychological Thriller
89 minutes
The film was shot in stark, rugged locations to authentically capture the icy remoteness of an Icelandic wilderness. The visuals are both grim and beautiful; wide shots of frozen seascapes are accompanied by claustrophobic interiors illuminated by firelight, all contributing to a sense of impending doom.
📅 Release Information:
World Premiere: Tribeca Film Festival on June 2024.
Limited US Theatrical Release: January 3, 2025
UK & Ireland Release: January 10, 2025
Digital and VOD Release: January 21, 2025
Streaming Availability: As of May 2025 on Hulu.
🧠 Themes & Analysis:
Guilt and Survival: The devastating consequences stemming from a community’s self-serving actions is the focus of this film.
Isolation and Madness: The unforgiving cold represents the breakdown of the characters, as fear becomes contagious.
Folklore vs. Reality: The horror element lies in the uncertainty and the psychological aspects of whether myths exist or not, especially with the draugr, which is never confirmed.
Moral Consequences: The viewers are confronted with the price of inexplicably hard choices inflicted by desperate circumstances in The Damned.
🧟 Critical Reception:
The Damned was recognized for the subtle horror, deep atmosphere, and commanding performances, primarily Odessa Young as the grief-stricken, leaderful woman. Critics had noted the gradual build of tension, cinematography, and incorporation of Icelandic folklore, marking the film as one of the most thoughtful horror films of the year.
⭐ Reasons To Watch It:
If slow-paced psychological horror intertwined with folklore and overwhelming dread is your thing, you should definitely check out The Damned (2024). It is more than a ghost story. It is a contemplation on humanity’s sacrifices for survival and the past’s uncanny ability to resurface when one tries to bury it.