Convening at a remote house at the side of the ocean following the heist of a valuable painting, three thieves – Eric (Alan Calton), his partner Matt (Dominic Vulliamy), and Paul (Michelangelo Fortuzzi) face internal conflict and outside malevolence as they try to discover what’s happened to Matt’s mother, Denice (Corrine Wicks), who was meant to meet them there.

Eric, being the first to arrive, finds evidence that she had been there, but a strange, bloody track leading out to sea makes him think the worst. When a trio of women wash ashore in a small boat, the men concoct a story as to why they’re there and why they have no supplies. Meanwhile, each of the men has strange experiences, hearing eerie voices and then suddenly finding themselves on the beach with no clue as to how they got there.

Mixing myth (sirens) and Greek tragedy (Oedipus) with a Reservoir Dogs scenario, The Drowned is a slow-burning, haunting film that is reminiscent of several others but ultimately stands on its own feet. Written and directed by Samuel Clemens (the son of legendary screenwriter Brian Clemens, who wrote for the TV series The Avengers and directed Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter in his time at Hammer), the film’s atmosphere builds as it leaves the relatively safe confines of heist thriller and morphs into a phantasmagorical horror tale. He directs confidently and will certainly be a talent to watch out for in future.

While much of the happenings are ambiguous, the final shots of the stolen painting (the film’s alternate title gives a massive clue as to whose brush the piece of art comes from) serve as a portent as the thieves receive a form of poetic justice. The film’s images and brooding sound design will linger long after the story is over, and the melding of myth and metaphysical will give fans plenty to debate.

THE DROWNED is on digital platforms in the UK from October 6th, October 7th in the US and October 8th in ANZ