Watch The Banishing

The Banishing is a 2020 supernatural horror film directed by Christopher Smith and written by David Beton, Ray Bogdanovich, and Dean Lines. The movie stars Jessica Brown Findlay, John Heffernan, and Anya McKenna-Bruce in lead roles. Set in the 1930s, the story is inspired by true events and is loosely based on the Haunted Rectory case, which involved an exorcism that took place in Borley Rectory, Essex. The Banishing uses supernatural elements and psychological horror to create a frightening and haunting experience for the audience.

The protagonist of the movie is Marianne (Jessica Brown Findlay), who is married to a vicar named Linus (John Heffernan). They move to a remote village in England to take care of a dilapidated rectory which is haunted by evil spirits. The rectory's previous occupants, the Price family, were terrorized by the spirits and were forced to abandon the property. Marianne and Linus hope to restore the property and turn it into a sanctuary for the local community. However, their plans are soon derailed as they discover that the rectory is not as empty as they thought.

As the couple settles into their new home, they start experiencing strange occurrences. Marianne begins to see a ghostly figure of a woman, who seems to be trying to communicate with her. Linus becomes increasingly obsessed with the rectory's dark history and gradually starts to exhibit erratic behavior. Marianne seeks the help of a local medium, named Harry (Sean Harris), who warns her about the evil spirits that reside in the rectory. Harry believes that the only way to get rid of the spirits is to perform an exorcism, but Linus refuses to believe in the supernatural.

As the events unfold, Marianne realizes that the rectory's past is connected to her own. She has to confront the ghosts from her past and the evil spirits that haunt the rectory. The spirits become more violent, and Marianne and Linus must fight for their lives to survive. The climax of the movie involves a harrowing exorcism that leaves the audience on the edge of their seats.

The Banishing is a visually stunning movie that captures the essence of the 1930s. The filmmakers have paid great attention to detail in creating an authentic and eerie atmosphere. The cinematography is excellent, and the use of lighting and shadows to create tension and suspense is masterful. The special effects are well done and not excessive, which makes the horror scenes more believable.

The performances of the actors are commendable, especially those of Jessica Brown Findlay and John Heffernan. Brown Findlay brings depth and vulnerability to her character, which makes her journey more relatable. Heffernan perfectly captures the descent into madness of a man struggling to come to terms with the supernatural. Anya McKenna-Bruce, who plays the Price family's daughter, is chilling and adds a disturbing element to the movie.

One of the strengths of The Banishing is its ability to combine supernatural horror with psychological horror. The movie treats its audience with respect and does not rely on cheap jump scares. Instead, the horror is built slowly and gradually, which makes it more terrifying. The movie is not for the faint-hearted, as it deals with themes of possession, child abuse, and suicide. However, it does so in a thoughtful and nuanced way, which adds to the movie's overall quality.

In conclusion, The Banishing is a well-crafted horror movie that offers a terrifying experience that will leave a lasting impression. The movie combines supernatural horror with psychological horror, which makes it a must-watch for fans of the genre. The performances of the actors are commendable, and the filmmakers have paid great attention to detail in creating an authentic and eerie atmosphere. The Banishing is a movie that will haunt you long after the credits roll.

The Banishing is a 2021 horror movie. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.5 and a MetaScore of 48.