There’s evil in the woods.
So said William, the father in The Witch. It’s a pity the unfortunate Thatcher family did not heed his wise words a couple of centuries later as they travel in their covered wagon through the 1860s American Mid-West. When an unmapped fork in the road offers them a choice of routes, they make a decision that isn’t going to turn out well for any of them.
When the trail comes to an end, they decide to camp for the night before turning back. But a mysterious sound convinces the pious minister, Rev. Ezekiel Thatcher, that the ground is holy, that they have been chosen and the noises in the woods are the voice of God.
But the noises are something else. And it’s not good.
In his first feature film, director Ben Bigelow, who co-writes with brother William, gets a lot right. The film seems influenced by The Witch, with its authentic dialogue and focus on a pious family confronting woodland evil, with an innocent girl lured into corruption.
The cinematography, music, and sound design all punch above what is, presumably, a small budget. The script is well-structured, revealing what is really going on in a way that retains our interest. Some of the performances stand out, in particular Hannah Cable as the mother, desperate to protect her children in the wake of her husband’s increasing lunacy. She’s great – utterly convincing – and handles the film’s most look-away moment very well indeed.
Unfortunately, there’s an issue with the editing, which sees far too many scenes fade to black just as they get going. The impact is a reduction in tension, a constant reserve just when you want things to let rip a little. Admittedly, this stops towards the film’s climax when things really do kick-off, but the effect is frustrating rather than frightening.
Final revelations come as little surprise; they’re well foreshadowed early on. And while it all does add up to a satisfying, if expected, climax, Tine Ears Shall Bleed isn’t quite as atmospheric or frightening as it tries to be and ends with the absolute worst shot of the entire film.
The effort required to make this film must have been huge, and what has been achieved is admirable. Certainly, Thine Ears Shall Bleed is a solid experience, which bodes well for what lies in store for the Bigelow boys.
