The Suffering (2016)- An Expertly Crafted Horror/Thriller That is Full of Surprises- Fitz of Horror Review

Bryan Fitzgerald (Fitz of Horror) February 21, 2019

Synopsis-Property appraiser Henry Dawles must fight for his sanity when he finds himself trapped on a rural farm owned by a mysterious caretaker, Mr. Remiel. As the threat to Henry escalates, he is forced to face the horror of the farm and uncover the dark mysteries of Remiel, and the sinister beings he encounters.

The Suffering is a triumph of indie filmmaking, plain and simple. Writer/director Robert Hamilton created a highly polished and genre-bending horror/thriller that is not only extremely smart and well done but also genuinely creepy. Every shot is set up with expert precision and if you pay close attention to both the visual aspect and dialogue of the film you will see and hear things that will set up future moments and key points of the movie. Hamilton has crafted a story that can be compared to an early M. Night Shyamalan with the shot setups and mi sen scene of Alfred Hitchcock. I have watched this movie twice and was having a great time with the second viewing because Hamilton gives you almost everything you need to know with clues in nearly every carefully set up shot.

The story centers around Henry Dawles (Nick Apostolides) a property appraiser with money and marriage issues. In the opening scene, he is sitting on a bench literally in the middle of nowhere waiting for a ride to go appraise the property of Mr. Remiel (Phil Amico). This gorgeous opening shot alone fortells much of the story that lies ahead. When Henry is picked up by a proper and mysterious chauffeur (Regen Wilson) he is taken to his destination and the mystery of the old property ensues. 

The film has an overall very dark and ominous feel to it that is set into motion almost immediately when Henry enters the home and meets Mr. Remiel, a quite pleasant and wise old man. As each night and day passes, Henry’s discoveries around this home and the surrounding property are increasingly disturbing and sometimes scary. There is also something lurking in the woods surrounding the property that seems to be getting closer with each encounter. As Henry’s sanity starts to slip, we begin to see glimpses of his past and current situations before coming to this home and see that there is a more sinister side to him. As he second guesses what he is doing there he is hit with a moral dilemma and decides to leave but Mr. Remiel makes him an offer that, given his family and financial status, he can’t refuse so he stays. 

The relationship between Henry and Mr. Remiel is tenuous at best and as the film continues to play out, their mental game of cat and mouse gives such legitimacy to the story by virtue of great acting and onscreen chemistry that is is hard to take your eyes off of them. As the film enters its final act, the house and property are getting the best of Henry as he is now seeing and hearing things that are driving him closer to the edge of sanity. Upon trying to leave once again, Mr. Remiel emplores that Henry hold up his end of their monetary agreement and work through the final night and then he is free to go in the morning. Henry reluctantly agrees.

Man was that a mistake but such a demented treat for us viewers. The final 30 minutes of this movie is pure mind-blowing insanity with twists and turns that eventually lead us to the brutal and shocking finale. 

I love being surprised by films and how good they can be, especially on a lower budget. Hamilton’s shot selections were excellent and the use of practical gore FX was great and very realistic. The score of this film was also quite good as it enhanced the grim suspenseful mood. The Suffering is streaming on Amazon Prime (link HERE) for free so I can’t stress enough that this film gets better with multiple viewings because there are so many layers to the story and so many clues hiding in plain sight. The suffering is an expertly crafted tale full of suspense, intrigue, spirits, monsters, and surprises that will keep you entertained throughout the entire 1 hour and 45 minute run time.

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