Welcome to Knockout Horror. Naturally, many of us will be enjoying the lead up to Christmas around about now so why not continue checking out a bunch of Christmas themed horror movies with us? Today’s movie is kicking things up a notch. Not a tremendously difficult task given the crap we have watched so far. We are taking a look at The Apology from 2022.
For the past few days, we have been expanding on our Awful Advent 25 Christmas Horror Movies feature from 2022. We are going to be reviewing, pretty much, nothing but Christmas themed horror right up until the 25th. The only problem is that we are kinda scraping the barrel a bit. There is definitely going to be a lot of coal in your stocking this year.
Things Are Picking Up
We have had a rough start with the terrible The Nights Before Christmas and Silent Bite but today’s movie, The Apology, offers us some hope. Written and directed by Alison Locke. The apology follows the story of grieving mother Darlene (Anna Gunn). Darlene’s daughter, Sally, mysteriously disappeared 20 years ago. A recovering alcoholic, Darlene finds herself struggling when preparing to host Christmas celebrations for her family. Little does she know, the night is about to get a little more intense after a visit from her estranged brother-in-law conjures up old memories and hidden secrets.
Obligatory this is more of a thriller than a horror movie but that is something we may see a lot this month. There’s just so much crossover between the two genres. The themes, here, are plenty dark enough to please horror fans, though. The Apology was distributed by Shudder and has a distinct whiff of the low budget. Something that is thoroughly accentuated by the small cast and limited locations. With that being said, Locke has managed to pull in some fantastic names. With Anna Gunn, Linus Roache and the brilliant Janeane Garofalo feeling like genius casting to keep this very self contained story chugging along.
Tight and Claustrophobic
The strong acting talent on display is very important as this film plays out, almost entirely, as one extended conversation between two characters. We don’t visit different locations, there are no flashbacks, there are no characters randomly entering the scene. It’s just Darlene and her ex brother-in-law, Jack, talking inside a house. If you were to imagine a small theatre stage production with only three actors, you would be somewhere in the same ballpark.
Naturally, this isn’t going to appeal to all people. This is a slow plodding film that follows a fairly formulaic pattern alternating between conversation and bursts of violence. There is very little in between to really point to and your enjoyment is entirely dependent on your investment into the story at hand. If you struggle to invest, you will probably find yourself disappointed and wondering why it feels as though Locke was so keen on repeating herself. Afterall, there is the distinct sense that this is a story that could have been told in twenty minutes or so. Why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?
An Engaging Story
Still, The Apology is backed up by an incredibly engaging story. Darlene’s guilt over her daughter’s disappearance is still haunting her. With her alcoholism, potentially, leading to her being a less than capable parent. And the subsequent twenty year belief that her daughter may still be alive, as well as the lengths she has gone to for victim advocacy, acting as a strong foundation for a relatable character. You share in her desire to know what happened to her daughter and there are plenty of touching moments relating her utter grief.
Locke manages to capture some palpable tension and the initial slow feeding of information does a great job of keeping you dialled in on the story. There’s a few strong moments relating the power struggle between characters and it gets pretty intense here and there. There are, also, a number of scenes that do a fantastic job of portraying strong female characters. With Darlene being a complex and flawed, yet, tough as nails person. It’s genuinely a lot of fun and it’s impossible not to get behind her. Plus, everyone needs a friend like Gretchen who is simply a laugh riot.
Not For Everyone
Needless to say, this movie is not for everyone. I highly enjoy these types of claustrophobic thrillers. I find myself easily engaged in conversations between characters as long as there is something to invest in. There is plenty to invest in, here, but some will find themselves bored. I am sure some viewers will feel targeted by the message. But it stands to reason that the issues presented here are reflective of real life. People who think they are good do bad things and others suffer for it.
Again, this probably would have been more effective as a short. It does go around in circles a bit. The second half is, basically, a repeat of the first, just with a little more exposition. There is, potentially, a bit of over explaining in the script. Too little allowing the viewer to read between the lines a bit but the script is, generally, very good. Acting is sensational, throughout. Just don’t expect too much in the way of scares or action. As for the Christmas themes, well, this movie is set over the Christmas holiday so this fits like a glove. It feels suitably festive, despite the general darkness of the story.
Should You Watch The Apology?
I really enjoyed The Apology and would recommend it. Fantastic acting from a stellar cast, an interesting and touching story, some decent intensity and plenty of reasons to invest in what is happening. It worked for me but it might not for others. It probably should have been a short, it repeats itself a little, some will probably feel targeted by the message, and it isn’t exactly scary. Still well worth a watch, in my opinion.
