I’m a hardcore horror fanatic, so it’s hard to take me by surprise these days. I’ve seen it all – every possible trope, plotline, character arc, plot twist, you name it. So naturally I’m always on the lookout for horror films that take me by surprise, that prove my guesses wrong. 

Ben Charles Edwards’ Father of Flies (2021) did exactly that. Right when I thought I had it figured out, that I knew exactly what was going to happen next – I was proven wrong. Father of Flies centers on the kids of a recently divorced father and his new girlfriend, Coral, who’s moved in in the mother’s absence. Strange happenings move in with her and begin plaguing the family. It doesn’t help that this new lady acts strange. Coral insists upon lounging about the home in high heels and one of those fluffy-cuffed ‘no officer, I have no idea how my wealthy husband died’ robes and a frightening pink face mask. 

It’s hard to talk about this magnificent film without spoiling any of it. So instead I’ll list films that have similar vibes and elements: The Babadook (2014), Goodnight Mommy (2014), The Dark and The Wicked (2020), and Hereditary (2018). If you think you know what’s happening in this film while watching it, go ahead and assume you’re wrong because you probably are. That’s just a side effect of the genius screenplay penned by Nadia Doherty and Ben Charles Edwards. It’s absolutely killing me that I can’t just word vomit about how much I loved this screenplay and how brilliantly written it is! You’ll just have to experience it for yourself. Don’t worry about looking up the movie on IMDb prior to viewing – the synopsis won’t ruin the experience. 

Every actor in this film f*cking kills it, but three performances deserve a special shout-out: Nicholas Tucci as Richard, Camilla Rutherford as Coral, and Keaton Tetlow as Michael. I remember the late Nicholas Tucci from 2013’s You’re Next, an excellent modern slasher, so it’s no surprise he’s amazing in this. Camilla Rutherford played a role in The Phantom Thread (2017), which won several Oscars, so of course she absolutely sells her role as the eccentric mistress. Keaton Tetlow’s performance had me thinking of the kids in the first season of Stranger Things – such a natural and convincing performance that is essential to the plot of the film.

Of course, this isn’t a review written by me if I don’t touch on the cinematography. If anything could rival the screenplay, it’d be the haunting cinematography by John Bretherton. I loved every shot in this film, especially one shot where the camera turns in sync with Coral sitting up from the couch in her creepy mask. Such a shot is so hard to plan and execute perfectly, so I lose my mind every time I see this kind of shot in a horror film. The score, composed by Angus Collins, William Berger, and Benjamin Markham, perfectly accompanies the cinematography. An incredible blend of classical and digital music, the score proves to be just as frightening as the film itself. 

Film editors John Smith, Brenna Rangott, and Bradley Watson also deserve a special shout-out for the film’s opening title sequence. I probably speak for the majority of horror fans when I say I’ve gotten tired of the same old font used for horror titles. You know the one – I’m sure The Conjuring (2013) popularized it. So it’s refreshing to see a creative title sequence like this one – all in lower case, “father of flies” flickers ominously in TV static over a black screen. 

The anachronistic feel of this film paired with the off-setting set design (by Jessica Ennis and Trinity Tristan) and the low contrast filter applied in post-production comes together with the haunting score and cinematography to deliver one of the more frightening horror films of 2021. There are a couple scenes in this film that had me sitting with my hand over my mouth in shock and horror. Mind you, this is coming from someone who has The Conjuring (2013) listed as one of their comfort movies. 

Again, it is so difficult to discuss Father of Flies without spoiling any of it. All I can say is, please go watch this if you can! I don’t believe it is streaming anywhere yet (a quick Google search didn’t yield any results for me), but you better believe I’ll be checking back regularly until it is stream-able. Until then, I will be struggling to fall asleep tonight. 

9.5 WEIRD FACE MASKS OUT OF 10