While writer/director Andrew Vogel‘s Herman is very much a horror movie, it’s also about a reclusive man’s guilt for hurting his wife. In fact, the film’s strongest moments are its most character-driven that trudge up a man’s past and his attempts to make peace with what he had done, even if that means cutting himself off from the rest of the world and battling what he calls the darkness. In fact, the film works best as a character examination.
The movie stars Colin Ward as Herman. After spending years reeling from the loss of his wife, Alice (Lawson Greyson), Herman locks himself inside of a cabin and contemplates suicide, to the point a noose hangs on the second floor. The darkness Herman frequently references is a metaphor for his guilt and personal demons, as well as the constant temptation to end his life, instead of making peace with what he’s done. Ward is good in the lead role and sells his character’s profound grief and regret. It’s clear fairly early on that Herman had something to do with Alice’s death, and the full extent is revealed late in the film, through flashbacks.
Herman’s attempts at total solitude are thwarted, however, when a group of visitors arrive during a storm. First, there’s two nuns, Sister Mary (Suzann Toni Petrongolo) and Sister Josephine (Soni Theresa Montgomery), who, though blind, displays uncanny insight and senses the darkness that plagues Herman. Sister Mary, meanwhile, tries to comfort Herman and encourages him to forgive himself. Then, a hiker named James (Alex James) shows up and basically makes himself at home while he waits for a friend to pick him up, but the storm made the main road impassable, so James isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, to the ire of Herman.
The slow-burn feature hits the horror harder once a mysterious man, played by Vogel, knocks on Herman’s front door and claims to be injured. However, Herman and his house guests realize the man isn’t injured. Herman is convinced he’s a demon, and the stranger constantly reminds Herman of what he did to Alice. Within the film’s last hour, Vogel does a good job fully fleshing out the story between Herman and Alice. Vogel finally fills in the gaps for the viewer.
The film actually works better before the point of the stranger’s arrival. Once Herman starts growling and threatening people, it’s not as effective and at worse, comes across as a bit silly. The film’s strongest moments occur when Herman wrestles with his guilt, be it through conversations with Sister Mary or some of his own monologues. The supernatural aspects just don’t quite land.
Overall, Herman’s last act is a little too clunky. That said, there’s far more good than bad in this film. Vogel has a talent for building a dreary and brooding atmosphere. Ultimately, this is a film about guilt and regret, as well as making peace with the past. Those elements are far stronger than anything that deals with the supernatural. Herman certainly isn’t a bad watch, especially for a cold and rainy night.
