Pyewacket (2017) Review – A Slow-Burn Study of Grief and Occult Horror
Pyewacket: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: A patient and atmospheric folk-horror that effectively uses the occult as a lens to explore the corrosive nature of grief and resentment. Pyewacket (2017) succeeds by prioritising character development and domestic tension over cheap thrills, creating a palpable sense of isolation within its remote woodland setting. Nicole Muñoz delivers a grounded performance as Leah, capturing the impulsive and often destructive emotions of a grieving teenager. The experience is significantly hampered by excessive and often nauseating handheld camera work that distracts from the carefully crafted atmosphere. Additionally, the supporting characters feel somewhat underdeveloped, and the script occasionally leans on clichéd “teen” dialogue that lacks authenticity. This 3.2 star effort is a solid choice for viewers who appreciate a slow-burn mystery that respects its genre roots. It is a moody, technical, and ultimately dark cautionary tale about the dangers of inviting something into your home that you cannot control.
Details: Director: Adam MacDonald | Cast: Nicole Muñoz, Laurie Holden, Chloe Rose | Runtime: 1h 30m | Release Date: 2017
Best for: Fans of slow-burn occult thrillers and those who enjoy horror that explores domestic tragedy and psychological breakdown.
Worth noting: The name “Pyewacket” comes from a supposed “imp” discovered by 17th-century Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins.
Where to Watch: Prime Video, Tubi, Amazon🛒
Rating: 3.2/5 Stars
(A moody and patient folk-horror that successfully blends domestic drama with occult dread, let down only by technical choices and some underdeveloped scripting.)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at folk-horror movie Pyewacket (2017).
Highlights
Slow paced psychological horror
Directed by Adam MacDonald, Pyewacket follows the story of teenage girl Leah, played by Nicole Muñoz. Leah’s relationship with her mother is strained. Her father recently passed away and she can’t help but blame her just a little bit. When her mother decides to move the pair into a remote countryside home, Leah’s resentment only grows. Causing her to delve into the occult and black magic as a means of seeking revenge. Little does she realise that the folk legends may be more real than she could ever imagine.
“Pyewacket is a cross-over between psychological and folk horror. It is a slow paced movie that relies on atmosphere to keep you engaged rather than jump scares.”
Pyewacket is something of a cross-over between plain old psychological horror and folk horror. Leaning on tales of witches, the occult and things that hide in the woods. It is a very slow paced movie that relies on atmosphere to keep you engaged. Pyewacket isn’t trying to scare you with jump scares or creepy visuals. It is primarily concerned with building a story that the viewer can invest in. Something which it does quite successfully.
A story of grief
Focusing on the fractured relationship between a grieving young girl in a difficult stage of life and her equally suffering mother, writer and director Adam MacDonald attempts to explore the subject of grief through the lens of a horror movie. This is always something of a tough task. The two themes don’t always gel and it is difficult to present the topic in a sympathetic manner. The horror genre does not lend itself too well to a mature interpretation.
Movies such as Hereditary do a decent job but it is a tough balancing act. With that being said, I think Pyewacket lands it pretty well. Pyewacket ventures into the realm of metaphors and allegory as it explores Leah’s efforts to cope with her loss but it never quite fully evolves into an elevated horror. That’s a relief to me as I am so damn sick of that sub-genre. It maintains its witchy core and feels pretty refreshing for that fact.
There is a strong focus on making the viewer relate to Leah’s grief and the impulsive actions that come from said grief. Leah’s rash, drastic actions result in almost immediate regret. She is then presented with two options: live with her decision or attempt to change it. Her friend group, who initially seem as irresponsible as her, quickly hold her to account, acting as something of a balancing scale to emphasise the severity of what she has done. How rare is it to see that in a teen-centric horror? Kids that hold their friends to account.
Fairly tense and atmospheric
As mentioned above, Pyewacket is not a jump scare horror. It is built around a feeling of tension and the sense that you never really know what is going to happen next. It does a very good job at this. The location is star of the show. With Leah and her mother moving to a house right in the middle of the woods, surrounding the pair with trees and shadows to hide the sinister things that lurk, there’s plenty of reasons to watch the background here and the setting plays host to some marvellous tension.
“The woods are pitch black and staring out into them, wondering what might be hiding, is exhibit A of good horror filmmaking.”
I quite enjoyed how far the house was located from civilisation and thought that MacDonald did a nice job of integrating this into the plot. The hour long journey to Leah’s school plays into just how isolated she feels and also comes back to haunt her in a clever scene later in the film. Night time scenes are a real treat as far as tension goes. The woods are pitch black and staring out into them, wondering what might be hiding, is exhibit A of good horror filmmaking.
Despite the great scene setting and location, I was not a fan of the camera work in Pyewacket. There is a dreamy style to many of the shots that works well but the problems start when the cameras are not static. The use of handheld cameras permeates the entirety of the movie. Shots that might otherwise be described as inventive or creative, I found to be nauseating and chaotic. Quick switches of perspective, chase cams, and jittery unstable zoom ins feature throughout.
The much maligned found footage horror genre has absolutely nothing on the amount of shaky cam present in Pyewacket. It is ridiculous!
Okay acting
Acting is okay for the most part. People rave about Nicole Muñoz’s performance and she is very good but I felt as though she lacked in emotional range. She absolutely can act and some scenes really stand out but a little more direction on the importance of facial expressions would have improved things a lot. When she has to express emotion, she does very well. Perhaps the lack of facial affect is to reflect Leah’s lack of enthusiasm and general malaise.
Leah’s friends are very underdeveloped characters and the actors don’t have much of an opportunity to do anything with them. Chloe Rose gives a nice turn as one of those pseudo-alternative girls that is sceptical of everything and a bit annoying. She gets an opportunity to show her acting chops in a decent scene later on in the movie when she spends the night at Leah’s house. The standout performance here is well loved actor Laurie Holden as Leah’s mum. She gives a nuanced performance as a grieving widow trying to adapt to life without her partner.
“It has its issues but it is, overall, a pretty decent modern folk horror. There are limited scares but bags of atmosphere and plenty to like here.”
Characters are fairly unlikable and pretty poorly written. This is very much a case of teens being written by grown men and it simply doesn’t work. Leah’s actions seem unfathomable, especially given the level of escalation, and her friends are utterly obnoxious until they call her out on her bullshit. It really takes away from the film in parts, as there is nobody here that is truly sympathetic.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good
- Strong Lead: Nicole Muñoz carries the film well, portraying the complex mix of grief and teen angst with a grounded realism.
- Oppressive Atmosphere: The remote woodland location is used effectively to create a constant sense of isolation and looming threat.
- Mature Themes: The film handles the subject of grief with more care than many of its genre peers, avoiding typical horror tropes.
The Bad
- Nauseating Shaky-Cam: The excessive use of handheld cameras is incredibly distracting and can make some scenes difficult to watch.
- Weak Dialogue: Parts of the script feel like “grown men writing teens,” resulting in some awkward and unbelievable interactions.
- Uneven Pacing: The slow-burn approach works for the atmosphere but may leave some viewers wanting a more immediate horror payoff.
The Ugly: The Handheld Camera. In a film that relies on atmospheric visuals, the jittery, unstable camera work is a significant and frustrating distraction.
Should You Watch Pyewacket?
Yes. It is a 3.2 star film that rewards patience with a dark and brooding story. While the technical choices are frustrating, the central performance and the effective use of its setting make it a worthwhile entry in the folk-horror genre. If you can stomach the shaky-cam, you will find a thoughtful and unsettling look at how grief can manifest into something truly monstrous. It is a solid indie horror that respects the intelligence of its audience.
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