Irish Horror ‘Unwelcome’ Could Be Our Next Creature-Feature Franchise

Don’t forget to add liver to the grocery list.

We open with a hopeful Maya (Hannah John-Kamen; Ant-Man and The Wasp) taking a pregnancy test while her partner Jamie (Douglas Booth; The Dirt) cooks dinner. After an endearing moment to steady the wobbly nerves, the timer dings and we learn that our star couple is indeed expecting. There’s so much joy at the start of the film, it leaves the viewer unsettled as we are reminded of the genre of film we’re watching.

Jamie heads to a local shop to grab a celebratory bottle of Preseco. He’s hassled by a group of misfits outside of the store which escalates into a home invasion. Maya locks herself in the bathroom while she attempts to call the police. She’s then pulled out of the bathroom and attacked. The attack is shockingly brutal, especially for our mom-to-be.

After the death of Jamie’s Aunt Maeve, the two are happy to move into the home left behind in rural Ireland. When they arrive, Niamh, a friend of Maeve, shows them around the property and gives them the rundown of the mysterious ancient wood in front of their home. Niamh tells them that Maeve believed in the old ways, and left a blood offering at the opening of the garden for the fara darrig — the Redcaps. Maya and Jame promised to keep up the tradition of leaving a little liver at the opening of the wood to keep the little people fed, every day.

The film doesn’t follow the flow you’d expect. And, there are times when the audience might question who is the real danger in the film. For example, the Straw Dogs-inspired Whelans family led by Mr. Whelan (Colm Meaney; Con Air), who creepily wants to be called “Daddy” were hired by the couple to work on the repairs of their home. Daddy along with his three children Killian (Chris Walley), Aisling (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), and Eoin (Kristian Nairn; Game of Thrones) adds another level of horror to the film.

Directed by Jon Wright and co-written by Wright and Mark Stay, Unwelcome is anything but predictable. First we’re warmed by a charming couple and quickly thrown into violence and tragedy. From there, we’re given beautiful aerial shots of saturated green land on an adorable farm setting and then our couple gets taunted by the Whelan family.

There’s also this tremendous dynamic between Jamie and the circumstances. We can see that Jamie hasn’t been the same since the first attack in London. It’s subtle but he’s unraveling. He doesn’t feel like he can protect his family. He feels weak and on the other hand, Maya seems to be getting stronger in the face of adversity.

Unwelcome gifts us with one of the most hardcore final girls we’ve gotten in a long time. Maya survives being attacked not once, but three times, while pregnant, and not only survives but in a sense, thrives — you’ll have to figure out what I mean by watching the film for yourself.

One thing that simply can’t be denied is how gorgeous the film is. The vibrant colors of the Irish countryside burst through the screen. There’s something about the saturated tones that elevate this Brother’s Grimm-inspired folklore.

In Irish lore, the Redcaps will come when called to help souls in dire need of rescue, but it’s crucial to remember that there is always a dear price to pay for their aid. The Redcaps aren’t cute little elves. They’re kinda like gremlins but smaller and much more violent. However, it isn’t until the third act that we get a good glimpse at the tiny creatures. When we do, it’s definitely worth it as they’re just as creepy as one would expect. We get so little action from them, it’s only fitting that a sequel is made so we can gain more insight into their origin and how far they can really go.

Unwelcome is a slow-burn horror film turned creature feature. Throughout the movie, there are moments of high suspense, punctuated by occasional bursts of dark humor. Additionally, the film features a truly impressive female lead. Tonally, the film is a bit of a mixed bag not completely decided on the story it wants to tell. Fortunately, that doesn’t significantly detract from the film, but it does leave a tad to be desired. Still, it’s definitely worth a trip to the movies.

Unwelcome is now playing in theaters.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars