Written and directed by the Pierce brothers The Wretched is a 2019 supernatural horror movie that defied all odds by becoming the first movie since Avatar (2009) to top the box office for six consecutive weeks — a record made all the more impressive when you factor in the movie’s low budget and 2020 release. With the pandemic resulting in postponed movies and closed theatres around the world, The Wretched offered a glimmer of hope for the industry, and IFC Films is to thank for that.
Faced with limited theatre exposure the independent distribution company went ahead with releasing the movie in select theatres and VOD, and crucially opened up The Wretched to drive-ins. This innovative decision likely saved the movie as people flocked to the covid-safe venues in large numbers. Of The Wretched’s success the directing duo told Entertainment Weekly “IFC were planning a release probably in fifteen theatres and then COVID hit … For a while there it was, ‘Well guys, it’s not going to be in any theatres, [but] we’re still going to come out on VOD;” the two were disappointed and then IFC introduced the idea of drive-ins. “Every week, IFC would be like, ‘We’ve got these couple more drive-ins that are open” they recall, “And then a couple more days would go by and, ‘Oh there’s a couple more.’” Eventually, more and more drive-ins became available and the rest is history.
Though the movie gained mixed reviews from audiences, the plot itself is rather imaginative, utilizing several effective twists. The Wretched follows Ben (John-Paul Howard) who goes to live with his father Liam (Jamison Jones) following his parents' separation. Here Liam sets him up with a job at a marina where he meets colleague and love interest Mallory (Piper Curda). When Ben notices strange goings-on next door he consults Mallory who dismisses his concerns; she thinks he’s crazy but she hasn’t seen what audiences have.
The Wretched begins with a flashback from the 80s. A babysitter enters a house and begins to hear strange noises coming from downstairs. Hanging up the phone to investigate she is horrified to find a creature-like woman (The Wretch) feasting on the child she’s come to sit. When she runs for the door she is blocked by the child’s father who, like the mother, appears to be possessed. Needless to say, she doesn’t make it out alive.
In the present, history repeats itself with Ben’s neighbors. The first sign of trouble comes after mother Abbie (Zara Mahler) loses her son Dillon (Blane Crockarell) in the woods. Alone, Dillon hears Abbie's voice beckon him from a tree hollow and is soon startled to find his real mother standing behind him. Having narrowly escaped The Wretch's clasp, the two drive home and hit a buck on their way. Not wanting to waste “good meat” Abbie takes the animal back with them and audiences squirm when, later that night, The Wretch crawls out, soon to possess Abbie's body.
The rest of the movie sees Ben desperately try and protect Dillon and figure out what on earth is happening. Eventually consulting Witchipedia — yes, that is a real website — he discovers something called a Slip-Skin Hag (also known as a Boo Hag): a creature that possesses people and “feeds on the forgotten.” Whilst it's obvious that The Wretch has possessed Abbie and caused Dillon's father Ty (Kevin Bigley) to forget his children, it's not immediately obvious when The Wretch switches bodies to possess Liam's girlfriend Sara (Azie Tesfai). This is slowly revealed to Ben in an eerie sequence of events; first, he notices Sara, who is vegan, pouring milk into her coffee, and then he clocks the wilting flowers around her (a telltale sign The Wretch is about). The movie's biggest twist, however, is that Ben has a brother named Nathan (Judah Abner Paul). Although audiences were made privy to The Wretch's amnesiac abilities, few were prepared for this kind of reveal.
Suddenly, earlier unusual occurrences begin to make sense. For example, throughout the movie Ben wears a cast on his arm that is bare, save for his name and a symbol; when Mallory remarks, "There's barely any room on here how am I supposed to fit my name” audiences pass it off as a joke but post-plot twist the cast is shown to have "Nathan" scrawled over it. The movie ties up other loose ends through flashbacks that allow viewers to watch previous scenes from a new perspective. For example, the old woman who randomly called Ben a “little artist” on the train wasn’t talking to him after all, but to a doodling Nathan who was sitting beside him.
Whilst most could agree this plot twist was ingenious, some didn't enjoy the movie's method of spelling it out for the viewer. Others also criticized The Wretched's plot holes, of which there are many. For a start, The Wretch's origin is unclear, as is the way she possesses Abbie, Sara, and eventually, Mallory. It also makes little sense that she neglects to use her power of mind control on Ben when he poses the biggest threat to her. Oversights aside, however, The Wretched is a thoroughly enjoyable popcorn horror that proves a big budget isn't everything.
The Wretched is available to stream on Hulu.