Religious theology and iconography have long been fertile fodder for genre filmmakers, but stories have largely been rooted in Christianity (often Catholicism) or Paganism. Here, debut writer/director Keith Thomas draws on his Jewish heritage for this disturbing chiller which, although not delving too deeply into specific issues of faith and belief, makes the most of its intriguing set-up.
Yakov (an excellent, empathetic Dave Davis) is a young man adrift, struggling to make a new life in New York after leaving his Orthodox community following a tragic incident involving his younger brother. It’s not so much a crisis of faith as one of guilt and grief. In this fragile state he is persuaded to act as a shomer — someone who sits in vigil over a corpse through the night, to help the soul find peace.
Things are uneasy from the moment Yakov enters the claustrophobic home of the grieving Mrs Litvak (a phenomenal Lynn Cohen), herself struggling with dementia yet displaying disquieting moments of lucidity. Shadows seem to move, ghastly noises emanate from upstairs. Yakov suffers traumatic flashbacks and fears he is losing his mind, until it becomes clear that he is, in fact, facing an ancient evil; a demon which attaches itself to the misery of others.
As Yakov is forced to face his fears, Thomas neatly blends the psychological trauma of his situation with genuinely creepy effects — a Sinister-esque basement video is a particular highlight — which ratchets up the tension to fever pitch. He is helped by some prowling cinematography from Zach Kuperstein, which catches movement on the edge of the frame and lingers on the pitch-black chasm at the top of the stairs, and a disorientating soundtrack by Michael Yezerski which blends traditional Jewish music with pulsing modern beats.
