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I’ve discovered, over the last ten years, that I enjoy period pieces, especially in the horror genre. If you offer me a movie related to war that includes some form of supernatural activity, I will enjoy it. Overlord was a pretty good example of that, though it’s plot left a bit lacking for me, it was very filled with tension which kept me at the edge of the seat. With regards to period pieces, The Witch is another fantastic movie that scared the hell out of me. With that said, when I got the chance to view THE DAWN, another one of those horror period pieces, I was very excited to see how it would play out.
The film, THE DAWN, is directed by Brandon Slagle and is set during the aftermath of World War I. It is focuses on a girl who loses her family at the hand of a mentally disturbed father. After the woman is relocated to a convent, she soon comes to terms with the idea that the evil that plagued her father now, follows her.
To begin with, I would not classify myself as a religious person. I mostly associate with the ideology of Karma and self-worship. Nonetheless, I am conscious of those who do not subscribe to my beliefs. This makes discussions around religion appalling for me. Although, I share my opinions and concerns regarding other beliefs with people. In fact, relying on myself instead of priests, nuns, and other religious authorities is a practice I highly support. This, however, is what makes me wary of organized religions. I recall fainting the first time I watched Exorcist or Amityville horror because of how terrifying they were. From the outset, the premise of these ‘horror’ movies left me scared for my life, the idea of a bunch of nuns forcing others into their religious beliefs via spirituality was frightening. So I can confidently say that THE DAWN and its theme revolving a nun and a convent had me gripped at my seat.
THE DAWN gives us insight into a woman named Rose (Devanny Pinn) who relocates to a convent after a tragic event in her life. The story is set 10 years after her family was killed and Rose is debating on whether she should take her “final vows” at the convent – where it is intended she resides. Due to her past ordeal, she has to live through countless flashbacks, visions, and nightmares. An additional insight into the character’s mindset that the film portrays is the fact that she oneself undergoing exorcism in a demonic state. Another thing that is fascinating is that we learn that she is often quite cold, along with the notion of hell also being cold – something I had not previously come across.
In my earlier remarks, I touched on two particular films, The Exorcist and The Amityville Horror. Those films have distinct similarities with THE DAWN. Indeed they are, but whilst THE DAWN is inspired by those films, it manages to incorporate aspects of them into a coherent narrative. The slaughter that takes place at the beginning of the film and the reference to demons are clear, but far more obevious to me are the demolition of Rose. She is losing her grip on reality, hearing voices, she is even beginning to question her faith. This is the section of the movie that becomes particularly engrossing for me. Actress Devanny Pinn, who plays Rose, captures the spirit of a woman deeply troubled by self-doubt and mental illness.
For me, the most definitive disadvantage that this movie has was the kills. The build up to each death was dramatic, but the results at the end were weak. Even when the circumstances of the plot had plenty of room for imagination, no creative effort was made, and it was disappointing. At best, the kills were very fast, and almost all of them happened off screen. I think that in the beginning a lot of creativity was invested in the film, in the end, I was simply disappointed.
To put it simply, from start to finish, the experience of watching ‘THE DAWN’ was filled with tension. In an hour and a half, this movie is drenched in the sinister feel so prevalent in horror films, and you’ll certainly want to finish it, so believe me when I say that you don’t want to miss this. I would personally recommend THE DAWN to a casual observer of horror films but also appreciate the grips of extreme horror. It’s not the standard type of possession film, so if you have the chance to watch this movie, consider it a personal favor. Now it is showing on theaters and available on digital and On-Demand, so do not waste any more time.
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