Lord of Misrule is a 2024 British/Irish folk horror film directed by William Brent Bell, starring Tuppence Middleton, Ralph Ineson and Matt Stokoe.
| Lord of Misrule | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Directed by | William Brent Bell |
| Screenplay by | Tom de Ville |
| Produced by | Deepak Nayar, Nik Bower, Jason Newmark, Laurie Cooke, William Brent Bell, James Tomlinson, Alison Brister |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Simon Rowling |
| Edited by | Andrew Leven |
| Music by | Brett Detar |
Release date |
|
Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom/Ireland |
Plot
editRebecca Holland has recently taken as vicar of the parish church of Burrow, a rural English village. After attending a village harvest festival at which her daughter Grace is chosen as the 'Harvest Angel', Grace goes missing.[1] Villagers and the police search for her, but the traditions in the village surrounding the god Gallowgog begin to cause suspicion.[2]
Cast
edit- Tuppence Middleton as Rebecca Holland
- Matt Stokoe as Henry Holland
- Evie Templeton as Grace Holland
- Ralph Ineson as Jocelyn Abney
- Alexa Goodall as Bryony Furleigh
- Anton Valensi as George Furleigh
- Rosalind March as Miri Tremlow
- Jane Wood as Ida Tremlow
- Sally Plumb as Marjorie Garfoot
- David Langham as DI Hythe
- Robert Goodman as Graham Nash
Production
editFilming took place in Aldbury, Hertfordshire, starting in 2021.[2] The film was developed by Bankside Films, with UK rights sold to Signature Entertainment in 2023.[3]
Release
editThe film was released digitally on 8 January 2024.
Critical reception
editLord of Misrule has a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[4] Leslie Felperin, in The Guardian, awarded it two stars, calling it "a poor man's reworking" of The Wicker Man.[5] Alan Jacques, for the Limerick Post, awarded three stars, describing the film as having "heaps of unfulfilled potential. Palpable atmosphere and compelling drama are often lost in a muddle of cliches and shiftless theatrics. Overall though, the absorbing twist at the end more than makes up for many of its inadequacies."[6] Meagan Navarro, for Bloody Disgusting, wrote that the film "can't fully escape the trappings established by quintessential folk horror films like The Wicker Man", but "is carried by the strength of its intriguing mythology and stunning production value".[7] Daniel Akinbola, for Filmhounds, gave it three stars, stating that it "doesn't do anything innovative", but "is a solid folk horror with a few stand out moments and solid performances".[8]
References
edit- ^ Perkins, James "Lord of Misrule", Starburst Magazine. Retrieved 22 October 2024
- ^ a b Wiseman, Andrea (2021) "Tuppence Middleton & Ralph Ineson Set For Folk Horror ‘Lord Of Misrule’ From ‘The Boy’ Director William Brent Bell; Filming Underway In UK", deadline.com, 25 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2024
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas "William Brent Bell’s Upcoming Folk Horror ‘Lord Of Misrule’ Sells To UK", deadline.com, 6 September 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2024
- ^ "Lord of Misrule", Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 22 October 2024
- ^ Felperin, Leslie (2024) "Lord of Misrule review – vicar blesses harvest-festival horror in Wicker Man rehash", The Guardian, 2 Jan 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024
- ^ Jacques, Alan (2024) "Film Column - Lord of Misrule", Limerick Post, 4 August 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024
- ^ Navarro, Meagan (2023) "‘Lord of Misrule’ Review – Atmospheric Folk Horror Movie Follows a Well-Trodden Path", Bloody Disgusting, 7 December 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2024
- ^ Akinbola, Daniel (2024) "Lord of Misrule (Film Review)", Filmhounds, February 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024