Watch The Unkindness of Ravens

The Unkindness of Ravens is a British horror movie from 2016 directed by Lawrie Brewster. Set in Scotland, the film follows a young couple, Andrew and Nic, who move to an isolated village in the highlands to start a new life together. Andrew is a novelist struggling with writer's block, and Nic hopes the quiet and solitude of the countryside will help him find inspiration. However, things quickly take a dark turn when Andrew starts experiencing eerie occurrences around their new home.

The film opens with a haunting scene in which Andrew witnesses a murder of a young girl in a dream. He wakes up in a sweat and shares his nightmare with Nic, who dismisses it as just a bad dream. However, as they settle into their new life, strange things start happening. Andrew hears weird noises in the attic, and Nic finds someone has been taking photographs of them while they slept. Andrew becomes increasingly paranoid and starts to believe that they are being watched.

One day, Andrew meets a young girl named Charlie who claims to be a psychic. She tells him that she senses a dark presence in the area and warns him to be careful. Andrew starts to investigate the history of the village and discovers that it has a dark and mysterious past. The villagers are suspicious and unwelcoming, and there are rumors of strange cult-like rituals being performed in the woods.

As the tension builds, the couple is plagued by frequent visits from a group of mysterious hooded figures, and Andrew's mental state deteriorates rapidly. The only person who seems to offer any solace is the enigmatic and charming Dr. Galloway, played by Jamie Scott Gordon. However, it quickly becomes apparent that there is something sinister about the doctor and his motives.

The Unkindness of Ravens is a slow-burning horror movie, relying on atmosphere and tension rather than cheap jump scares. It is a well-crafted movie, with beautiful cinematography capturing the haunting Scottish landscape, and an excellent score by the composer James Griffiths, which adds to the uneasy feeling that permeates the film.

The acting is generally very good, especially Leon Carrington as Andrew, who manages to convey the character's growing paranoia and fear convincingly. Ross Campbell, who plays Nic, is also very good, although his character feels somewhat underdeveloped. Michael Brewster, who is also credited as a co-writer of the screenplay, does a decent job as the eccentric psychic Charlie.

One of the film's strengths is that it manages to build a sense of dread and unease without relying on gore or excessive violence. The horror in The Unkindness of Ravens is more psychological than physical, and the film is all the more effective for it. The use of symbolism and recurring motifs, such as the titular ravens, also adds to the sense of foreboding throughout the movie.

In conclusion, The Unkindness of Ravens is a strong addition to the British horror canon. It is a well-crafted movie that manages to be unsettling without resorting to cheap thrills or jump scares. The atmospheric setting, solid acting, and excellent score make it an enjoyable watch for fans of horror movies. If you're looking for a slow-burning, psychological horror film with a great sense of atmosphere, this one is definitely worth checking out.

The Unkindness of Ravens is a 2017 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.0.