Irish cinema has been slow to embrace the genre film, favouring kitchen sink dramas and darkly toned comedies with societal messages. But films like One Hundred Mornings, Wake Wood and The Survivalist have shown that Irish history, folklore and even our landscape are ripe for intriguing, visually striking horror stories.

Enter Brian O’Malley’s gothic effort The Lodgers, an ambitious and atmospheric genre film, sure to delight fans of the old-school scares found in The Woman In Black and the haunted house vibes of The Others.

Charlotte Vega and Bill Milner star as orphaned twins who live in a majestic but dank mansion (itself played by Loftus Hall) in rural Ireland. The locals treat the twins with justified suspicion – they’re odd and off-putting, but they have their reasons. Dark forces are literally bubbling up under their house, and have given the twins restrictive rules to live by. The punishments for infractions are severe, and the twins’ parents and grandparents have already met a watery grave.

Edward has long since succumbed to hopelessness, now a sickly and macabre man who hasn’t left the mansion in years. He thus harbours an unnatural dependence on and attraction to Rachel, who is more independent. On a rare venture into town, Rachel meets Sean (Eugene Simon), a soldier returned from World War I. He too is an outcast, demonised by the local men for having fought for the British army.

The two connect, but this draws the ire of not only the house’s spirits but Edward’s twisted mind.
O’Malley’s luscious, gloomy visuals belie the modest budget, and the dark bewitchment he creates should be the envy of many famous horror directors. However, David Turpin’s screenplay proves slight and trope-filled, the themes and story developments predictable and heavy-handed. If O’Malley finds a story that matches his directing skills, he’ll be unstoppable.

Directed by Brian O’Malley.
Starring Charlotte Vega, David Bradley, Moe Dunford, Eugene Simon, Bill Milner.
92 mins.