Mandrake offers a confusing horror fantasy tale that bites off way more than it can chew, despite being well-made and occasionally intriguing. The film's narrative throws way too much at the viewer, never truly allowing any of its themes to fully develop. There are some effectively spooky elements here, like a mysterious tree baby, but the conclusion leaves too many loose ends. Mandrake definitely shows a lot of promise, but it ultimately falters due to its own ambition.a
Directed by Lynne Davison from a screenplay by Matt Harvey, Mandrake follows Cathy Madden (Deirdre Mullins), a probation officer who gets stuck rehabilitating a recently released serial killer dubbed Bloody Mary (Derbhle Crotty). Cathy initially tries to give Mary the benefit of the doubt, but after a while, two local children go missing. Everyone in the town points their finger at Mary, while Cathy fears for the safety of her own young son. Soon, Cathy is thrust into the dark, nightmarish world of Bloody Mary and will be forced to bear witness to the bizarre practices of her captor.
Mandrake has a lot going for it, like great performances from Madden and Crotty. Madden is very believable and relatable as a desperate mother who is unexpectedly thrown into chaos. Throughout the film, the audience watches her go from a tough-as-nails yet extremely caring probation officer to a bloody and battered horror heroine. Madden succeeds in her layered leading role, but it's Crotty who really steals the show. Her villainous performance is frightening and intoxicating, and if there's one thing worth watching this movie for, it's Crotty.
Mandrake oozes a sense of dread at every second and showcases Davison's distinct eye. Visually, the film is worth watching, and its atmosphere is enjoyable. However, the story just never comes together. This movie is engaging but offers almost no resolution or explanation for the events that occur on-screen. Ambiguity can be very effective, but here, it feels like a story slowly builds throughout the entire runtime, but by the time it's ready to erupt, the film ends. There are some extremely memorable sequences, but they feel unearned by the end since nothing ever seems to come full circle.
Mandrake is disturbing and can strike a chord in certain audiences, especially parents, with its depiction of rituals and murders involving children. While effective in certain areas, Mandrake definitely could have been expanded to offer narrative closure, yet would have benefited from trimming down some moments that don't contribute to the story. Going more in-depth with the themes would have built on some of the interesting ideas presented in the movie, and a simplified narrative would have highlighted these compelling moments.
As far as mood goes, Mandrake is top-notch, but narratively, it could have used some fine-tuning. Lots of the elements are there, but they never find a way to flow together. The film begins as a moody psychological thriller before heading over to gonzo territory. These different subgenres could work for the movie on their own, but in the same film, they feel murky. Overall, Mandrake is a creepy film with a lot of promise but ultimately misses the mark.
Mandrake will premiere on Shudder on Nov. 10.