Nocebo (2022) Review – A Haunting Tale of Folk Magic and Guilt
Nocebo: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: A meticulously paced and atmospheric psychological thriller that rewards patience with a haunting exploration of guilt and cultural displacement. Nocebo succeeds through its fantastic lead performances, particularly the electric chemistry between Eva Green and Chai Fonacier, which fuels a complex power struggle rooted in both folk magic and class tension. While director Lorcan Finnegan maintains a glacial pace that may alienate viewers seeking traditional jump scares, the film’s reliance on shadows and subtle unease creates a palpable sense of dread. This 3.2 star experience is occasionally hampered by repetitive POV shots and a message of corporate greed that can feel a little heavy-handed, yet its integration of Filipino mythology is fascinating and unique. Although the narrative pin-balls through a messy timeline of flashbacks, the visceral and tragic conclusion provides a satisfying payoff for those willing to endure the slow burn. It is a stylish, thoughtful, and ultimately disturbing piece of folk-horror that lingers long after the final frame.
Details: Director: Lorcan Finnegan | Cast: Eva Green, Chai Fonacier, Mark Strong | Runtime: 1h 36m | Release Date: 2022
Best for: Fans of slow-burn psychological horror, viewers interested in international folklore, and those who appreciate character-driven thrillers with a social conscience.
Worth noting: The term ‘Nocebo’ refers to the opposite of the placebo effect, where a patient’s negative expectations of a treatment result in a worsening of symptoms, a concept central to the film’s psychological themes.
Where to Watch: Hulu, Amazon🛒, Apple TV
Rating: 3.2/5 Stars
(A well-acted and atmospheric psychological horror that uses folk-magic to tell a tragic story of guilt and exploitation.)
Welcome back to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at a slow burning psychological horror movie Nocebo.
Highlights
A deep psychological folk horror
Starring the fantastic Eva Green, this movie represents a collaboration between Irish and Filipino production companies. Playing out as more of a thriller than a horror, I think Nocebo features enough horror elements to find a place on our site. It helps that it is, actually, an enjoyable movie, albeit one that may not appeal to all horror fans.
Focusing on the story of Christine. A woman who is suffering from a range of inexplicable symptoms. Nocebo sees a Filipino caregiver arrive to help Christine care for her house and family. Reluctant to engage in the caregiver’s traditional treatments at first, Christine is stunned to find that they are helping and she is getting better. The true question is, however, at what cost does it come?
Coming from Without Name director Lorcan Finnegan, you know this is going to be a rather strange movie. While not being as highly stylised as the aforementioned psychedelic horror, Nocebo is a psychological tale based on folk legends from Asia. With a slight smattering of social commentary regarding the exploitation of the impoverished and a very slow pace, this is a movie for those who have time to burn. Let’s take a look. If you need an explanation on the ending of this one, why not check out our Nocebo Ending Explained article? There are spoilers so be warned.
A drama with horror leanings
This feels like a drama with a few horror and thriller leanings. As mentioned above, the horror elements in Nocebo only really come in towards the end of the movie. For the most part, Finnegan is keen to keep the viewer uneasy rather than scared. Much like Finnegan’s previous film, Without Name, Nocebo shares, not only, a focus on nature, but also an approach to horror. Its the things that you don’t see, the things that are hinted at, that can unsettle the most. It is, at times, effective but, also, rather lacking.
“Selfish and stingy when unravelling its secrets, Nocebo is content to keep drip-feeding the viewer information. It is at its most satisfied when dragging the viewer slowly behind it.”
Selfish and stingy when unraveling its secrets, Nocebo is content to keep drip feeding the viewer information. It is at its most satisfied when dragging the viewer slowly behind it. Despite this, it can be very captivating. Nocebo‘s moments of suspense come from the dark unknown. It attempts to build a palpable sense of tension through the characters themselves.
Diana performs strange rituals in her room. She appears to have magical abilities and can transcend different plains. Christine’s initial reluctance eventually turns into full acceptance of Diana’s powers, something which creates a perfect dichotomy between vulnerability and strength. Placing the characters in a strange power struggle which the movie then feeds off.
It is easy to sympathise with Diana and her deeply traumatic past and sympathising with her is key to engaging in the horror. Because the drama leanings eventually depend on that feeling of empathy to take you full scale into a very traditional horror conclusion. Replete with all the violence and visceral nastiness that you might expect. Its tooth gritting stuff and very effective, but is it enough to entertain the majority of horror fans?
Fantastic acting
Christine’s mystery illness presents itself in a number of different ways. As new symptoms present, her tormented existence seems all the more hellish. Eva Green’s fantastic performance sucks you into the story. She is a quirky character that can seem both likeable and horribly unlikable in equal parts. She doesn’t feel like a two dimensional horror character. Christine has nuance and depth. Green does an amazing job delivering on all sides of Christine’s personality.
The equally brilliant Chai Fonacier is fantastic as Diana. Diana is a complicated character with a tumultuous past. The slums of the Philippines feel a million miles away from the luxury of Christine’s home. Flashbacks gradually reveal more about her past pulling you further in to the story. She is a character that is both sympathetic and powerful while being very easy to invest in. You will certainly want to know more about her.
“Eva Green’s fantastic performance sucks you into the story. She is a quirky character that can seem both likeable and horribly unlikable in equal parts, with genuine nuance and depth.”
The way the legends of Filipino witches ties into the story, along with how it ties into Diana’s background, is fascinating. Great stuff and well worth reading into when you are done with the movie. Nocebo‘s story is long and arduous to get through. But it is also interesting and rather tragic.
Definitely not for everyone
This is a film that is not going to be for everyone and that is completely fine. I can imagine plenty of viewers will find its glacial pace utterly boring. Not everyone enjoys slow burning horror movies, after all. If you don’t like slow burning horror, Nocebo, almost certainly, won’t be for you. This is a movie that is very devoted to its message, as well. A message of societal inequality and the price of corporate greed. It’s an important one but can feel very ham-fisted at times.
Nocebo tends to suffer for some of its direction choices, as well. While, typically, a frequently gorgeous looking movie that will take you back to the glory days of artistic 70’s horror, it does have issues. Close up shots focusing on items, faces and body parts feel constrictive and cheap. A tendency towards first person perspectives and point of view becomes old quickly, reflecting a director, perhaps, lacking in innovation. Scenes showing Diana’s rituals are particularly guilty of this. Some of the practical effects and CGI are woefully bad, which doesn’t help.
“This is a movie that is very devoted to its message, as well. A message of societal inequality and the price of corporate greed. It is an important one but can feel ham-fisted at times.”
Other people may not enjoy the somewhat messy timeline presented here. Flashbacks to the past of both characters send the plot pin-balling wildly. I felt, at times, like it was over indulging in this a little bit. Flashback scenes are typically presented in a rather clear and obvious fashion but it can still be a little messy. Some of the flashbacks seem fairly inconsequential to the plot, there more for minor character development than anything else. It can detract from the story, somewhat, impacting the pacing of the movie in a pretty significant way.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good
- Chai Fonacier: Delivers a powerhouse performance as Diana, making her simultaneously sympathetic, mysterious, and formidable.
- Unique Folklore: The integration of Filipino “witches” and folk-healing traditions provides a refreshing and educational layer to the supernatural elements.
- Visceral Payoff: The final act finally unleashes the horror with a series of effective and “tooth-gritting” moments of nastiness.
The Bad
- Glacial Pacing: The film is extremely slow, and some viewers will likely find the drip-feeding of information to be more tedious than engaging.
- Repetitive Direction: The overuse of extreme close-ups and POV shots can feel cheap and suggests a lack of visual innovation in certain sequences.
- Messy Timeline: The frequent flashbacks can detours from the main tension, making the narrative feel disjointed and pin-balled.
The Ugly: The CGI Tick. A moment involving a digital parasite that looks remarkably poor, briefly pulling the viewer out of the otherwise grounded and gritty atmosphere.
Should You Watch Nocebo?
Yes, if you enjoy “elevated” or slow-burn horror. It is a 3.2 star film that relies more on atmosphere and character dynamics than outright scares. While it sags in the middle and the message can be a bit blunt, the performances from Eva Green and Chai Fonacier make it a journey worth taking. It is a touching, tragic, and ultimately chilling piece of genre cinema.
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