The Wretched

If nothing else, this movie will be an answer to the trivia question: What was the highest-grossing film in the U.S. during the first two months of Coronavirus pandemic?  The Wretched is a box office hit.  Theaters are still mostly closed in the U.S.  But thanks to around 60 drive-ins that have been allowed to operate across the nation, it earned $1.8 million.  That’s pretty impressive.

This horror offering doesn’t really dwell on grotesquerie.  It’s more of a supernatural coming of age tale about a lonely teen named Ben (John-Paul Howard) whose parents are getting a divorce.  He’s currently staying at his father’s home.  While there, he gets a summer job working at the marina.  There he makes a friend in Mallory (Piper Curda).   Then the neighbor’s child Dillion (Blane Crockarell) doesn’t show up for his sailing lessons.  Things get more disturbing when his whereabouts become a mystery.   The family clearly had a son but now the father Ty (Kevin Bigley) denies ever having one.  He’s seemingly under the spell of his wife Abbie (Zarah Mahler).  She has been acting extremely weird.  Ben suspects the woman might be a witch.

The Wretched is a decent amalgamation of scary movies and journey into adolescence.  This is one of those stories where the protagonist is trying to reconcile his ability to fit in while also having to deal with some mystical shenanigans at the same time.  Puberty is hard enough!  I’ll admit the screenplay isn’t particularly innovative.  It’s a throwback to teen flicks like Fright Night, The Faculty, and Disturbia.  Let’s face it.  Even those pictures aren’t that original either so this is like a copy of a copy.  Nevertheless, among horror films being released in 2020, it holds up.  The production is stylishly attractive.  The practical effects are refreshingly subtle while remaining creepy nonetheless.   Additionally, the leads are rather likable.  That goes a long way in propelling this release into something worth watching.

05-24-20