Such was the chemistry between Sophie Turner and Kit Harington as Stark siblings on HBO’s Game of Thrones that seven years after its finale, a reunion between the two still has tremendous appeal. It gets put to the test, however, in Natasha Kermani’s laborious medieval horror, The Dreadful, a loose remake of the Japanese classic Onibaba. While mildly diverting with its ominous black knights, deadly curses, illicit affairs, and murderous mothers-in-law, the film struggles to coalesce into an effective Gothic horror, and is better served as a psychological thriller about a woman’s fight to stand on her own two feet.
Set during England’s 15th-century War of the Roses, The Dreadful takes place on the impoverished outskirts of society, where Anne (Turner) and her mother-in-law Morwen (Marcia Gay Harden) struggle to survive each day with barely enough food to eat. Anne’s husband, Seamus (Laurence O’Faurain) was drafted to fight in the war, along with childhood friend Jago (Harington), leaving the women alone to fend for themselves. The hardened, domineering Morwen is a survivor and has no qualms doing some dirty stuff behind the naive Anne’s back. That includes murdering wayward travelers to steal their money and possessions, to fence at the nearby market.
It’s a quiet, if tumultuous life, made even more tenuous when Jago returns without Seamus by his side. Learning of her husband’s tragic fate, Anne is overcome by loneliness and despair, feelings that are exacerbated by Morwen’s overbearing presence. The only thing that can calm her is a growing romantic connection with Jago, whom she sneaks out to see despite Morwen’s disapproval. Meanwhile, a shadowy knight stalks the nearby land, as either a physical threat or a supernatural warning.
The answer doesn’t really matter, and that’s a big problem for The Dreadful, which isn’t really scary, nor are the paranormal aspects given enough time to develop. Far better is the desperation of both women, one in need of her freedom and the other not to be alone. Harden is terrific as Morwen, the older woman who has been scarred by a life of tragedy, and now sees Anne as her true daughter. She will do anything to keep Anne safe and by her side, but also deep down, she’s jealous of her youth and beauty. At one point she openly raves that she will deny Anne the chance to be a wife and mother, and it’s a rant borne of envy as much as anything else.
Turner has an icy regality to her, well-practiced over many years as the calculating Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones. It serves her well here, too. Anne, who starts off with the innocence of a lamb, is sharpened as she is stuck between Morwen’s demands and Jago’s aggressive masculinity. Her movements, her decisions, become more precise as she fights for autonomy. There’s also the lingering mystery surrounding Seamus’ death, and whether Jago is telling the full truth of what happened.
There’s a lot going on in The Dreadful, but the tension is never as thick as it should be, and practically disappears when the film leans heavy into the supernatural elements. You’ll note that Harington’s role in the film has barely been mentioned and it’s because Jago feels like an afterthought for far too long. It leads to a shockingly disappointing final act, where Jago’s story limps to a conclusion while Anne’s falls flat. The Game of Thrones reunion doesn’t quite live up to expectations, but the performances of Turner and Harden nearly make up for it.
The Dreadful opens on February 13th from Lionsgate.
