The Beldham (2024) review – A Visually Striking but Narratively Flawed Elevated Horror

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at an elevated-horror movie in the form of Angela Gulner’s The Beldham.

Another one for fans of Elevated Horror

The story here seems, on the surface, to be pretty simple. Our lead character Harper (Katie Parker) heads back to live with her mother (Patricia Heaton) while struggling as a new parent. A recent accident has left her needing help. Her return to the family home however, is blighted by the seeming presence of a generational evil. A witch apparently resides in the walls but is it all in her head or is there a deeper meaning to these hauntings?

“The Beldham has a tendency towards the ordinary and predictable when it comes to the horror. It’s derivative, and not about to change the minds of anyone tired of this sub-genre.”

Let’s get that title out of the way with, first. A Beldham (_^sic traditional spelling is Beldam or Beldame) is an old woman, or hag. If you think of your traditional Disney crone you are in the right ballpark. A notable horror movie to feature a Beldam was Coraline. How it plays into the story here is, to be perfectly honest, more as a piece of narrative misdirection than anything else.

This is ostensibly an elevated horror movie that spends much of the initial hour of runtime presenting itself as a traditional haunting. You should know what to expect here. Things go bump in the night, our protagonist suffers terrifying visions, the residents of the house are acting a bit strange, and nothing is quite as it seems. The prevailing question is whether it is all in Harper’s head?

She recently incurred injuries in an accident that is gradually expounded upon as the story unfolds. She also seems to be suffering from some form of mental illness. This throws her ability to correctly perceive events around her in doubt.

For the most part, this is a very ordinary film as far as this subject matter goes. Predictable, derivative, and not about to change the minds of anyone tired of this sub-genre.

It’s an exploration of generational trauma

Every one of these elevated horror movies lives and dies on the performances of its cast and the “gotcha” moment at the end. The Babadook’is probably the most famous example and that’s the title I am seeing The Beldham compared to the most. I think that is a fairly inaccurate water mark, though. This is far closer to something like Natalie James’ Relic than anything else.

While the parental struggles draw obvious comparisons. This is much more of an exploration of generational trauma and hereditary disease. The family dynamic is key. Harper’s mother cycles through a pattern of doting over her daughter and being quite ruthless to her. She’s presented as a character lacking in pity and perhaps, not quite what she seems.

“Every one of these elevated horror movies lives and dies on the performances of its cast and the ‘gotcha’ moment at the end.”

Harper’s ability to care for her child is consequently brought into question and this will provide the emotional backdrop of the story. Her only friend ends up being the woman brought in to assist her: Bette (Emma Fitzpatrick). Though the pair share a frosty relationship at first due to Harper’s suspicions around her, they grow closer the more isolated Harper feels.

Things open up later on to reveal a much deeper mystery and a far more human source of the hauntings. It’s familiar stuff but the ending is one that will probably leave some people devastated. It’s as effective as it is out of left field. The credits linger on the moment to let you soak it all in and it works quite well.

I do imagine some viewers will spend that time wondering what the hell just happened rather than crying into their couch cushions, though. That speaks to some of The Beldham’s bigger issues.

It’s narratively messy without knowing the full story

Narratively, this movie is a bit of a mess and that isn’t helped by some questionable writing choices. There are scenes that will leave you feeling baffled. These films always struggle when it comes to fitting in suitable horror imagery but it’s the more ordinary sequences that are the issue, here.

One in particular sees Harper, who is eager to leave the supposedly haunted home, completely botch a house viewing by prospective buyers. The way she acts in this scene seems deliberately manipulative but it’s presented as accidental. It’s nonsensical given the available context.

“I really don’t feel like the movie earns the twist ending. Looking away for even a moment will leave you utterly confused by the final scenes.”

There are many scenes like this. You really have to view them back while having the perspective afforded by the ending to understand them. Again, this is another “gotcha” moment but it just reads like poor writing in the here and now. Some people will never re-examine these scenes and will simply remember them as messy and out of place.

Viewers of elevated horror are big fans of re-contextualising stories with more available information so will eat this up. Others will simply see it as a roadblock to enjoyment. I really don’t feel like the movie earns the twist ending, either. There aren’t enough hints at the reality of the situation. You have to work hard to make it fit. Looking away for even a moment will leave you utterly confused by the final scenes.

It’s very ordinary in the horror department

The Beldham has a tendency towards the ordinary and predictable when it comes to the horror. There’s a lot of misdirection regarding whether Harper is actually experiencing the events, or not. It’s extremely familiar and there are few moments that stand out in any meaningful way. I applaud the use of nudity to reflect vulnerability but it is something to keep in mind if you dislike that in your horror.

Cinematography is a bit of a treat. It’s filmed in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio which serves to reflect some fantastic portrait style shots of characters. The lighting is a highlight, too. It’s a moody film but certain scenes appear to be naturally lit with nothing but sunlight and they look fantastic. Director Angela Gulner shows an assured hand and represents another example of how female talent is dominating elevated horror.

Acting is hampered by a weak script. Again, certain scenes are so non-sensical that it undermines the performances. Katie Parker is fine in the lead role and does a nice job carrying the emotional heft of the film. Veteran actor Patricia Heaton is okay but her character flits about so much it’s hard for her to dial into one personality or another.

It’s probably worth noting that this type of movie is horror critic catnip. Don’t feel bad if your view of the film doesn’t line up with expectations laid down by reviews. I rarely enjoy elevated horror in the way critics suggest I will. They are looking at movies with a completely different set of expectations and enjoyment is rarely one of them.

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