Matriarch (I) (2022) User Reviews

Like my school reports - lots of potential, could do better.

[tooraredie · 5/10 · 12 May 2023]

There's a really great core idea here and an overall solid story that with just a few minor tweaks could've made an absolute classic, but there's something hard to define that's not quite worked.

I can't figure out if it's the characters, the acting, the editing, or what, but for some reason I couldn't connect and wasn't absorbed on an emotional level - there was no character I was rooting for, none I was rooting against. Someone died and it was acknowledged, but I didn't care.

And if I'm not feeling something emotionally, it loses a major part of the battle for me. The brain parts of the people behind this got everything just about right, but the heart parts I think got left at home.

good enough

[sjarja · 6/10 · 22 October 2022]

To get that out of the way .. i rate this movie to be a bit above average.

If i wanted to describe a feeling in one word .. i would probably go with : uncomfortable

A bit like a Lars von Trier movie, but only half way.

Acting is good - although not very nuanced. Cinematography is sometimes good .. but not stellar - and characters act in a very artificial way .. only to support the plot, not in any way realistic (on the basis of the supernatural that is going on)

The CGI was poor ... i mean, Playstation 2 cutscene poor. It was kind of rare .. and i wonder why the movie did not use practical effects .. those would not have been too hard .. and may not have broken immersion as much as those really terrible CGI scenes.

All in all, it was worth watching - for me. But other than that ... a fairly forgettable movie without much depth or meaning (well, unless you are into rural folklore of that region or so .. maybe than there is more to get from it)

Moody but ultimately unpleasant

[Otkon · 5/10 · 8 December 2022]

First off, Jemima Rooper is entirely awful to observe throughout the whole film. She's dreadful and not in a good way. She's a miserable, atrocious mess of a disaster from the start. The first third of the movie is all about her and her nasty habits and behavior.

Then she goes home to her mother, played by the always-awesome Kate Dickie. And then you kinda see why the daughter is a loathsome person. But by contrast, Kate Dickie can portray appalling without being unconscionably annoying.

Then it turns into a Village of the Wicker Song kinda thing, I guess. The reveal of what is going with the townspeople is a big "um, okay".

The special effects are cheesy in places.

The fudge looked good. Better than the film which, sadly, Kate Dickie can't save.

Don't know what i watched, but I could not look away

[Denis89 · 23 October 2022]

Not a movie for everybody or indeed anybody but if you want something different then it is worth a watch.. Like it or not, it's admirable that the movie is totally weird and refuses to follow any formula but it's own. It does not even care about alienating people, it is that daring.

During the short run-time it takes all sorts of twists and turns and you never know what will happen. It might at the end of the day try to much and gets lost in it's own story. But Kate Dickie is as usually great in another eccentric unhinged lady role. Going all in, she knows exactly what kind of movie it is....

Great Beginning - Disappointing End

[cjstanford-65097 · 3/10 · 24 October 2022]

Intriguing beginning. Story contains good mix of mystery with supernatural horror for the first 4/5ths, but the end and the story is very unsatisfactory. The draw-in is good but Is almost as if they ran out money and concluded amongst poor lighting and severely curtail final scenes. Another way to put it was that critical scenes near the end are missing. Also, on a fear/suspense scale it's falls flat all throughout. I enjoyed the pace of the mystery and unraveling backstory. The acting is ok to good. The few special effects probably were poor so they resolve it by by under exposing, the problem is that I couldn't tell what happened in the the in the climax and the parts we do see clearly, there's no explanation.

Not enough to appreciate

[Just_Buse · 3/10 · 4 November 2022]

Firstly, I wanna describe that I am still not knowing what I watched. The whole movie is made up by using fictional-paranormal presence, but it is not recognized to viewers enough. We do not have its background.

I thought that there is rigid analyse of staying out of believing God. The paranormal presence inside the movie might be named as the mother Earth or something different, counted the other God/Goddesses(Might be Pagan concept). Because, in the movie, there is strong tone to emphasize to God's force against other faiths that is explained as giving a life/young appearance to the village's population.

After all, Characters- their speeches are not written in deep understanding. There are lots of gaps inside the movie that you are not able to catch. I do not understand what is meaning of nudity and intense sexual definitions inside the movie. So, The co-writers are lost inside the content.. Neither movie nor its end I like..

committing suicide is not way to find a peach.

Atmosphere is good, location is good, even the cast are good for reflecting weird and evil tone, but the plot.. not good..

Bad

[Sky4021 · 1/10 · 22 October 2022]

So bad I kept forwarding it hoping it would get better lol dear lord it's slow boring dull!!! She's always in good things the main character but this is the worst thing I've seen her in I remember her from the early days in AS IF.. but no sorry as much as I wanted to like this it just didn't happen ,I even stopped it and came back to it the next day hoping I may feel different but unfortunately it wasn't,it was still dreary and dull!!! But some others may enjoy it not everyone likes the same things!! But no I wouldn't recommend this at all skip past it and find something else exciting to watch.

Don't Do It

[t-ktinney · 1/10 · 24 October 2022]

Keeping this short, this movie sucks. It sucks bad. I couldn't even finish it. The acting is awful and all of the characters are weird and so unlikable. From the 45-1 hour I did watch, the mother is a horrible person and it's no wonder the daughter had nothing to do with her for 20 years.

I nearly turned it off after the very brief scene of the 2 old people making out in the back seat of a car. It is so disgusting. I have nothing against old people or old people getting their groove on but IF you watch this movie you'll know what I mean when you see it.

There are better "horror" movies out there. Save your time and watch something else. This move sucks.

weirdest movie ever

[amaliarae · 1/10 · 26 October 2022]

This has to be the worst movie I have ever watched. In fact, I created an account on here specifically for the purpose of revealing the truth and letting you know how bad it is. Throughout the entire movie, it just kept progressively getting weirder and weirder. I was genuinely shocked reading all the good reviews and desperately hoped to find someone that shared the same thoughts as me. The acting is poor, the storyline was confusing, it was the end of the movie and I was still trying to understand what was happening. It didn't even seem like a horror, there were so many disturbing bits and I found myself wondering why I even agreed to watching this. The only good thing about this movie is enjoying lots of laughter with the family at how she PEED DOWN THE STAIRS. If I could turn back time, i would've never even clicked on this movie. I suggest you save your time and watch something else instead.

Sinister and intriguing folk horror

[WarringtonOutbound · 7/10 · 16 January 2023]

Very interesting tale of a binge-drinking, cocaine-snorting city type on the verge of a breakdown, visiting her rural-dwelling mother for a very difficult reunion. There's the spectre of a mysteriously deceased father, mentions of the Olde Ways, and the obligatory not-as-harmless-as-they-seem villagers. The first and third acts could be from completely different films, yet it just about works, as both mother/daughter drama and countryside weirdness are dark and intriguing.

Matriarch also largely avoids sudden shocks for the slowly emerging realisation of terror, whilst mixing in unsettling visuals and details which only become clear later on. The central performances are great; Jemima Rooper bravely makes her character spiteful and unlikeable yet still somehow sympathetic, whilst Kate Dickie as her mum is subtly yet unmistakably wrong from the outset, and it just escalates from there. Wonderfully bleak scenery as well; frosty churchyards and desolate roads that don't seem to lead to anywhere.

What? How? Why?

[litasantos-74322 · 1/10 · 26 October 2022]

What? The helm did I just watch? This has got to be the worst movie I've ever seen. I feel I've been played? Is it possible that the movie was made as a joke in us, the viewers?

How? Can anyone appreciate this nonsense? Spoiler alert - She literally took her pants off and peed on the stairs 30 secs before the ending of the movie.

Why? Did I allow myself to lose an hour and a half of my life watching this crap. The main female lead was unlikable, bad acting mostly on her part to be honest, and the story was only 1 minute prior to the end.

If I could give negative stars I would.

The only thing good that came out of watching this was the motivation to start an account here and lots and lots of laughing at the disaster that it was.

Don't believe the bad reviews! It was refreshing and excellent!

[htomkinson · 10/10 · 25 November 2022]

I have made this account JUST to combat the incredibly unjust reviews that have been given to this movie. A score of 4.4 with the current abysmal offerings of movies we have today is truly criminal.. In truth, my honest score is probably an 8, but I am giving a ten to offset the incredibly unfair reviews that have been left by people that should never have watched it in the first place. This was a brilliant, eerie, British horror. People who liked the witch, or A24 horror movies will adore this movie.. No, the characters are not 'likeable' and no, you won't find baby Yoda and Chris Pratt holding hands singing along to Ed Sheeran. I'm intentionally not commenting on the plot, for it needs to be seen without seeding thoughts in your brain from these reviews. If I can get one person to reconsider the negative reviews and make their own opinion - I will be very happy. We need more indie movies like this. It genuinely gives me hope for the future of cinema. So I'm not implying you should all think this movie is fantastic because I do, but to PLEASE just give it a go and make your own opinion. This movie, and the crew involved in making it, deserve far more.

The 1 star reviews are an absolute joke and unfair

[addy-berry · 7/10 · 14 February 2023]

This movie is wayyyy too good to be rated in the 4s and if you read the reviews you can tell the people writing them aren't real horror fans. The bad reviews for this movie seem like they're coming from Hulu watchers looking for fuller house or something.. I love horror movies and know how hard it is to get my hands on a decent one at this point so I think this movie deserves some credit. Having said that..

This film is a very dark folklore esq tale "hints of films like ritual, hereditary, and the witch". Matriarch depicts alcohol and drug abuse with a great sense of realism as well as showing us a broken mother/daughter relationship that feels very familiar to real life.

I think the concept applied in this film was very fresh and executed intelligently. It felt sort of taboo to watch at times in a good way.. like I shouldn't be seeing this but I'm so glad I get to peer in on this dark and dangerous world from the safety of my living room. The actors gave top notch performances as well.. couldn't have asked for more there. Very good horror movie. B+ from me.

Family trauma reunion with Mummy

[Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews · 5/10 · 28 October 2022]

I thought this movie started out decently, but fell apart as things started to unfold, by the end leaving you questioning what you just watched.

It almost felt like the writers/ people Involved/ maybe even the actors were confused on what exactly this plot was. It was very successfully atmospheric and kept you engaged until the third act where things kind of went off the rails. It was all... kind of explained, yet still even after I was left asking why. I think the plot/script needed another couple once overs to really iron it out and make sure it made sense and was cohesive. Regardless, I thought the mother and daughter both did a solid job as far as acting goes with this and there was still some solid creep factor.

I felt this one had a lot more potential that it didn't quite tap into but was not overwhelmingly unsuccessful. Would recommend but not fervently.

Atmospheric and unsettling

[MrScoresheet · 22 October 2022]

Wasn't sure what to make of this, and in many ways it's a few different films put together. It's a mother/daughter relationship drama, it's an addiction drama, it's a folk horror and it's a body horror.

The actors are tremendous - Kate Dickie is always good value and is deliciously insincere.

Jemima Rooper manages to make a pretty unsympathetic character somewhat likeable, though that is a bit of a flaw in the film.

The cinematography is lovely - the British countryside has never looked so desolate or haunting.

The music and sound design is incredibly atmospheric, and works in conjunction with the editing to really keep you uneasy throughout.

Perhaps by the end of the film one too many ideas have been thrown into the pot, but I really enjoyed the journey and would happily recommend it.

REAL REVIEW - Waste of time!

[MJHP7 · 1/10 · 24 October 2022]

I literally created an account cause I was fed up with this nonsense reviews which tell you nothing, are long until you nothing about the movie self cause the author is trying to impress you with his sentences building skills.

So this movie is extremely boring and full of bizarre scenes. For the first 30 minutes absolutely nothing happens. The actress is incredibly ugly, and no matter what you cannot get over yourself watching.

Terrible acting, the plot is a bunch of nonsense, cause the Director watched the shining too many times

You literally sit the whole movie asking yourself "What the hell is this and why am I still watching it?" Do not watch this movie unless you want to waste one and a half hour of your life. Terrible. Terrible. Terrible.

Not good

[ashfordofficial · 1/10 · 23 October 2022]

1. A very dark visualistic storytelling about depression and anxiety. Apart from its beautiful countryside locations, the movie overall was a big disappointment. A poorly written, directed and performed psychological horror with an unsatisfied and rushed ending.

2. A very dark visualistic storytelling about depression and anxiety. Apart from its beautiful countryside locations, the movie overall was a big disappointment. A poorly written, directed and performed psychological horror with an unsatisfied and rushed ending.

3. A very dark visualistic storytelling about depression and anxiety. Apart from its beautiful countryside locations, the movie overall was a big disappointment. A poorly written, directed and performed psychological horror with an unsatisfied and rushed ending.

Absolutely sick!

[maldives-78156 · 1/10 · 20 January 2023]

No, no, no, no and one more time NO!

I didn't see anything as disgusting and disappointing as this one! No one (who is in clear mind) will find this movie entertaining or enjoyable. Start was promising, but then all went down hill. Story about little hurt girl who grew up but didn't fix her problems. I thought it gonna be some sort of psychological thriller, about hard childhood trauma and result of it. But.. no where near.

The worst part for me was the scene in church..no comments on it. I absolutely recommend to skip this film and don't waste precious time! Otherwise you will "enjoy" seeing lesbian games, abuse, gang bang, drugs and all "the beauty" of the world this film is ready to show.

Great Acting, Poor Plot

[rb-661199 · 3/10 · 27 November 2022]

First of all, credit to the leading cast for great acting, despite the movie falling apart after 20 minutes. She gave her all but the plot wasn't solid enough to compliment her acting.

The first half of the movie is okay. It pulls the viewer in but the second half just falls apart.

The movie goes from normal to super weird without any subtle build up. Weird is okay. Everyone loves weird but it has to have a proper build up so that viewers understand every detail.

This movie goes from a lesbian struggling with love to being the daughter of a mystical being in just twenty minutes. Boring as heck.

One of the worst movies I've ever seen.

[entre_nous_2112 · 1/10 · 7 December 2022]

It's just bad.

Just so bad. There's no definitive reasons as to why she returns to her mother's house when she's been little to no contact for like 20 years. She just leaves her 'high powered job'.

Noone outside of Scarface does cocaine like that. She asks her lover to move in & then lover never follows up or contacts her after that?

She has a heart attack/overdose and doesn't see a doctor, regardless of the Charlie Sheen amount of blow in her blood.

Her childhood friend, Abi adds nothing to the storyline.

And how does shooting a ?garden hose? Kill the giant 'mother/plant' thing?

The most psychologically frightening part about this is knowing that someone funded this rubbish.

Scratches the slow burn folk horror itch

[HorrorFilmHellion · 6/10 · 22 October 2022]

This is a good one to check out with no up-front information. Turns into a mostly folk horror piece mixed with some other genres (body/cult/trauma) and gets the job done to become unsettling, dark, and disturbing at times. Good sound design adds to some effective atmospheric conditions and intensity. It's not a large, noteworthy cast or anything but the scenes stay focused on the two strong leads, which perform very well and keep attention on them as you would hope- and most effective when together. There are some scenes that feel like they are only thrown in to add running time, unfortunately. Not perfect, but overall, this viewing is worth a look.

Just Words

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 19 December 2022]

Laura (Jemima Rooper) is a lover of vodka, cocaine, other women, and placing her face in the toilet. She dies early in the film from a cocaine heart attack. But wait. She's not dead yet as a black liquid flows into her and she is suddenly revived. She leaves work following an expensive nose bleed. The bad news is her mother Celia (Kate Dickie) calls and asks her how she is doing after no contact for 20 years. Laura is talked into going home against her better judgement. Except for her friend Abi (Sarah Paul) the people in the village don't look like they aged. Mom is about 80 and has no wrinkles. They still have issues over Dad's suicide we see in the opening scene and mom is a bit odd and seems to want to hurt Laura. There is a lot of drama.

We don't know exactly what that black substance is but we know it is important and magical. The film has a low budget look and feel to it. I think the problem is they made Laura, the main character, self destructive and that friend we try to avoid.

Guide: F-word. Sex. Nudity (Kate Dickie + others)

Brooding and atmospheric gem.

[mistermansfield · 9/10 · 22 October 2022]

I love it when I watch a film that I know nothing about only to discover it is a hidden gem. While this film may not appease those horror lovers who like lots of blood and huts, I found this more atmospheric horror a breath of fresh air. Or rather, of earthy air.

Another aspect I really loved was the fact that at no point could I guess what was going on, until it was revealed, obviously. And even then there a bit still left up to my imagination.

A third factor I enjoyed was the film's basis in folklore. People, at one stage, actually believed in...I won't give it away... such things. Without the aid of science, technology and the wealth of knowledge we have at our fingertips these days, people living on the land believed in many things that are a mystery to us these days.

Finally, I'd like to add a comment about the brilliant acting by both female leads. The tension between them was palpable and added considerably to the bleak, mysterious atmosphere.

Take a look at it. Recommended.

Come to Mama

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 4 April 2023]

No pun intended - and really more than one may have thought this is. The title does not give away too much. And the slow start is not really ... well I doubt it will hook too many people. But it would be good if you stuck with it. Because that eerie stuff (no pun intended here either), really pays off in the end. And very likely not in the way you thought it would.

At least that is true for me - and what I expected. It did look like another run of the (sticky) mill horror movie. But it does take turns and twists that I did not see coming ... not like that. The nudity is not too much, but necessary to move the story - and it really is not sexualized (not in the common way at least). The effects on the other hand ... incredible. Decent horror with nice ideas ...

Nice setting mediocre movie

[olcayozfirat · 3/10 · 17 November 2022]

Horror movie produced in 2022, which cannot even be considered mediocre. Although the environment in the film is very suitable for tension, the tension decreases as it progresses. It deals with the story of a woman who has addicted herself to drugs and alcohol due to depression, leaving her life in the city and going to her mother, whom she never loved. His mother lives in a village and everyone in the village is a weirdo. The plot could have been a good book, but the movie is both boring and silly.

-spoilers

The woman's mother is weird. In time, he too is trying to sacrifice his daughter. There is a swamp. The swamp has supernatural powers. The woman's mother uses these supernatural powers as her own to heal the villagers. Turns out the swamp was alive. In fact, his daughter was the daughter of the swamp, not his own.

There is plenty of sexuality and nudity in the movie.