'Shepherd' movie review: This horror film uses its stunning, desolate setting to frightening degree

Russel Owens' 'Shepherd', a horror film set on a remote island in Scottish Highlands, uses its location toinstill a sense of foreboding, but never gives a decent payoff for the setup. Despite its issues, fans of the genre would appreciate just how much dread and tension the filmsqueezes from the immense, breathtaking landscape. Tom Hughes plays a tormented, recently-widowed man called Eric Black, who is haunted by visions of his wife's demise. The film makes it clear that it is not simply grief that is bothering him. He has other demons that tumble out later in the film. After a sluggish first act in which Eric gets reacquainted with his estranged mother, we find him on the island. Where madness awaits him.

Kate Dickie plays Fisher, the person who drops Eric off at the island with a promise to return. The island is, I repeat, a thing of absolute beauty. But it is a beauty of the austere kind. Grey skies perpetually hover over the stretch of land like cruel gods, threatening rain at the first hint of sin. A promontory juts deep into the water. Apart from a rundown lighthouse and a cottage, there is hardly any hint of human presence.

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The effect is almost that of writings of HP Lovecraft at times and the cosmic horror genre he invented -- even if we never see Cthulhu or anything similar. It is how the film juxtaposes the setting against Eric. He is like one man stranded on a planet.

Cinematographer Richard Stoddard wastes no time in familiarising the viewer with the place, panning down the camera and showing how insignificant our hero is before the vastness of the island and the water surrounding it. The island feels like a compelling thing you would want to observe, but from a safe distance. There is a great sense of place here. The island, however barren, feels lived-in

The thrillingly immersive setting echoes Robert Eggers' genre-defining 'The Lighthouse', which was similarly brilliant in evoking the horror of loneliness in a region that was raw and primal, and untouched. In 'Shepherd', the effect is heightened because here Eric is by his lonesome. There is the dog, but canines do not make for good conversation companions. Nevertheless, he does find comfort in his dog's presence for a while. And then his ghosts -- and the island's ghosts -- come alive.

Apart from the visuals, the script also does a good job in making the viewer feel Eric's desolation. I was irritated by the pacing every now and then but the long-ish runtime (for the plot, that is) actually helps us in getting into Eric's shoes. The scares are few but worthwhile. It is the location that does the heavy lifting.

I liked 'Shepherd' overall, but there are a few things that keep me from wholly recommending this film to horror lovers. First, Hughes falls way short of what the role requires. He is, to put it bluntly, just not a very good actor. While his lack of emoting works for the character in the first half when Eric is supposed to be an impassive, stiff-upper-lip man who keeps his emotions in check, later on, when he begins losing his sanity, his performance is average at best. A better actor would have served the character better.

Also, the pace might be slow for most horror fans. The film has artistic pretensions, but does not have a substantial depth to its story or themes to back it up. The ending is also disappointing as the film tries to insert a twist that feels last-minute and so-so. Still, 'Shepherd' is worth checking out, I think. Those, in particular, who are looking for a film that relies on atmosphere and ambience to up the scare quotient rather than CGI monsters will love it.

'Shepherd' is available to watch on BookMyShow Stream.