InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Fella_shibby I saw this first on a VHS in the mid 90s. I never understood the film then. Found it to be one helluva weird stuff. Revisited it recently on a pirated DVD after reading many glowing reviews n the cult following. Honestly, now i found it to be meh. As i mentioned in my review of the movie A cure for wellness that cinematography n atmosphere ain't enough to save a bad film. Apart from the imagery like the cathedral's location, the village, the atmosphere of constant raining n murky weather, the weird characters, the leaking cathedral with its dripping water, the cliff n the setting sun, the catacombs with their candles n the enigmatic passageways, there ain't anything good about this film. In fact, there is no music, very few dialogues n the story is really confusing. Strange things seems to happen for no reason. The actress was attractive though.

GL84 Following the death of her father, a woman arrives at a strange convent on a remote island in Russia to join a friend living there and begins to suspect them of strange happenings when a series of visions and dreams leads her to believe something is beneath the church's grounds.This here turned out to be quite the enjoyable and engaging effort. One of the many strengths of this one is the fact that there's a highly appealing atmosphere throughout this one that makes for a rather chilling and mysterious series of events. From the opening shot of the church being dismantled by the oncoming water as the hillside crumbles away and takes the debris out into the sea with it followed by the mysterious unseen force acting upon the loners left at the site, this one goes immediately for the grand hypnotic air throughout this one which is held by the utterly chilling scenes of the nuns underground. Given an appropriately eerie glow with the constant rocky outcroppings holding innumerable candles illuminating the darkness, this gets quite creepy with their strange antics and rituals being practiced that are otherworldly for a group of nuns to be engaging in, and there's quite a different feeling here that this indulges in due to these strange sequences. This is further highlighted by the strange dreams and visions she has once she arrives, with the elaborate candle-lit hallways and torch-fire ceremonial processions she sees them engaging in which are even greater pieces of the puzzle that she needs to uncover about their behavior and builds to a rather strong, overwhelming feeling here once it starts unraveling its storyline. Furthered by the strange incidents of her stumbling upon the pit featuring the blind nuns shambling about or coming across the twins in the catacombs, the idea of their purpose in the convent and what they're actually trying to accomplish becomes unveiled quite nicely and gives this one the kind of eerie, effective slow-burn build that's paid off exceptionally well with all the fun found in the final half which is where a lot of the action really picks up. From the attack on the helpers' shack to the nuns tracking her down through the church catacombs and the final meet-up with the main monster which inspires a massive rampage through the convent that's quite fun and exciting. As well, the final revelation about their backstory and how it all ties their history together is a nice shock twist that's paid off quite well with the impact it has on the events of the film thus far and makes for a great downbeat ending. Coupled with the fine gore and miniature effects used throughout here, there's a lot to like with this one. While these here are what really work here, this one still has some flaws to be had here. Among the few issues is the rather slow and dull beginning showing her travels to the remote convent which is really not that interesting and takes up way too much time. Going through the steps one-by-one of meeting all the different people along the way makes for a slow-going and somewhat dull as the voice-over narration at the start of the journey tells us all what's supposed to occur and now taking up this time just makes for a rocky start. That gets carried over into what happens once she finally arrives as the creepy, eerie atmosphere present here simply hides the fact that very little action actually occurs within this as it becomes a lot more about the creepy imagery and mystery than it is about the action behind the convent walls. These do hold it back somewhat but aren't enough to overwhelm the positives on display.Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Language and Brief Nudity.

suspiria56 The first and only feature thus far from Italian filmmaker Mariano Baino clearly wears its influences on its sleeve. The story involves an English woman, returning to the island of her birth where her mother died following the delivery, and then discovers a strange sect steeped in Gothic worship and bizarre mystery.Following his short film, the much lauded Carancula, Baino embarked on what many believed would be a modern horror masterpiece in the making. Financed by the US, the UK, Russia, and Italy, and filmed on location in the Ukraine, it is of no surprise that the production ran into trouble (see Mark Kermode's account of his own on-set experiences). Yet it is to Baino's credit, and indeed obvious talents as a director, that he manages to pull off something credible, if not quite the epic its promoters (Fangoria magazine being a keen follower) would quite have hoped for.Mixing in moments of contemporary horror of the likes of The Evil Dead and 80's Italian horror, it strives for much on a clearly evident low budget. Whilst also attempting, to varying degrees of success, to convey the atmospheres of directors like Bunuel, Bava, or prime-time Argento, whilst H P Lovecraft influences seemingly dominate the ending. Some imagery is truly unique. Sequences such as a nun dying on a rock as waves wash over impress, as does a brilliantly surreal scene as the protagonist, Elizabeth, walks across a shore strewn with dead fish. Add to this ambiguous soundscapes throughout the film (a crying baby, demon-like roars) that connect the films narrative, and the cinema of Jean Rollin may spring to mind.For all the positives however, Dark Waters seems to suffer from similar failings that the other lauded hope of post mid-eighties Italian cinema, Michelle Soavi, suffered. Poor acting, trite scripts often poorly delivered, and over ambitious narratives.But it is this ambition to make something uniquely visual, to create an atmosphere rarely seen in the genre over the past thirty years, certainly on such a small budget and filming constraints. And for that Mariano Baino, may you one day have the budget to make something else. There is no doubt that he possesses the talent to do so.

Woodyanders Troubled young Elizabeth (well played by the lovely Louise Salter) goes to a remote Crimean island to investigate the death of her father and the disappearance of a missing friend. The island is populated by a bizarre order of sinister nuns who reside in a convent. Assisted by the friendly Sarah (an engaging performance by Venera Simmons), Elizabeth uncovers some dark secrets pertaining to her past and discovers an ancient evil force in the bowels of the convent. Director/co-writer Mariano Baino shows a remarkably sharp and stunning eye for unnerving visuals. Moreover, Baino does an expert job of creating and maintaining a compellingly spooky atmosphere and punctuates the picture with occasional outbursts of startlingly brutal violence. The grim, brooding tone gets more progressively gloomy and unsettling as the story unfolds and culminates in an especially chilling last third. The island setting projects a potent sense of dread and isolation. While the narrative is a bit vague, the suffocating brooding mood keeps the film on track and really gets under your skin. Another interesting aspect of the picture is that men are relegated to minor roles; the main characters are all female. It's this willingness to break from standard horror conventions that in turn gives this movie an extra refreshing edge. Alex Howe's handsome, fluid cinematography, Igor Clark's shuddery score, and the uncompromisingly bleak ending all further enhance the overall nightmarish quality of this supremely eerie shocker.