Tags:
Film: Manor of Darkness
Year: 2025
Director: Blake Ridder
Writer: Blake Ridder
Starring: Kim Spearman, Louis James and Sarah Alexandra Marks
Review:
This was a film that I got the chance to see thanks to Annelise from Strike Media, when she sent the press release and the screener. When I saw that this was a horror film that featured a time loop, while also being a 2025 release, that was enough to agree to see this. It also helps with rounding out my end of year list with independent works. Other than this information, I came into this blind.
Synopsis: a group of pretend filmmakers are stuck in a never-ending nightmare at the manor.
We start this with seeing a large manor. In the basement working is Lucas (Stuart Wolfe-Murray). He hears something and we’re given a POV shot of someone stalking him. He yells and then whatever it is attacks.
It is from here that we shift over to a room where Laura (Kim Spearman) is talking with her mother. We hear that she needs an operation and whatever her ailment is seems to be getting worse. She is playing it off like it's not. The big thing here is that her treatments cost money and that is tight with the family currently.
Laura then gets a call from her brother, Chris (Louis James). Their relationship is strained. We see later that he is a thief, one that I wouldn’t say isn’t overly great at what he does. They have issues that he is still doing this and the last time Laura helped, she came along and a former teacher, Ms. Wong (Amy Jim), was hurt. This happened in her house. Chris tries to get Laura to help with a job. I’ll also include that Laura sees a strange figure that night knock at her door before disappearing.
We then shift to a bar where Chris is there with his girlfriend, Lisa (Sarah Alexandra Marks). Also here is Andy (Rui Shang). We see him come to the bar and talk to an older woman. He is a pickpocket and she is his mark. Lisa goes to the bathroom where she goes into a stall. Someone rattles the door and sticks their hand under it. The fingers break before disappearing. When she returns to Chris, Andy has joined them. Chris picked up on his skills and recruited him to the help, especially since he has camera equipment.
The job is at the manor we see in the beginning. Lucas wants a documentary crew to help him prove that it is haunted by his wife. Chris knows of this place. It has a past where a former owner made a place where rich people stayed. He then stole from them. There is reportedly an item worth two million British pounds that was never found. Chris wants to find it. Laura is forced to help to save their mother.
This crew shows up to the manor and Lucas isn’t there. They go in and explore. Laura and Lisa pair off. They find something strange in a trunk in the basement. Laura opens it and sets events into motion that prevent them from escaping. They have to break this curse before they’re stuck in what is happening until the end of time.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’ll start is by saying that I’m a fan of the premise. It starts off seeming like a haunted house film. The reason to get our characters there works for me. It feels a bit convoluted and a variation on other films, but I like how they made this unique for this version. There are holes with logic and I also think that it loses its way in presenting the story elements.
Where I’ll then start is with our group. It is interesting that we have Chris, who I think is a professional thief. He meets Lisa, we aren’t told how. She is down to help him. Laura is his sister and helped with a heist where things went bad. Now she works at a coffee shop where her hours get cut. That and their mother being sick forces her to help. The Lisa element is a stretch, but I could see her being sweet talked into this, even though she seems more logical than Chris. These all work.
A problem I have is Andy being recruited. It doesn’t make sense that Chris is worried about reaching out to his old crew. One is doing time or was recently arrested. Another has a family. I don’t recall an indicator that he knew Andy before recruiting him to help. I do like Andy’s back story as to why he’s doing what he is. I’d also say that Shang works in this role. I even like things his character does when they’re trapped. I just don’t buy the information we’re giving for him being there.
Something else that is underdeveloped for me is what is happening within this manor. I love that it has a dark past. I feel bad for Lucas and what happens to create the curse for him. The idea of bringing in this crew makes sense. This could be a me problem, but I just felt the entity was lacking depth. I was tired while watching this and I lost interest late in the second act. The concept that it creates a time loop and the characters keep reliving things is good. Just a bit more as to why this is here would help me connect everything.
Then the last aspect of the story will be the time loops themselves. This is a difficult thing to use. One of my biggest problems is that we need stakes. I don’t recall that being here. Something that is used well in Until Dawn or was introduced in Happy Death Day was that the longer this goes on, it changes you due to injuries inflicted. This just seems that the longer you’re here, it just drives you insane. What I’ll give credit for is that if the curse is broken and people were killed, then they’re stuck that way. Other than that, it falls short.
Let’s then shift this over to discussing filmmaking aspects. In general, I’d say that this is made well enough. The cinematography and framing were solid. It is able to capture how big this manor is. They do good things with scares here as well. We have solid practical effects when people are killed. I don’t recall much of that on screen. The editing helps here as well. My issue is that the CGI doesn’t necessarily hold up. I did notice, but since this is a lower budget, I’m not going to hold it against it too much. Other than that, the music fit without necessarily standing out.
All that is left then is the acting performances. I like Spearman. I’ve seen her in one other film and she's been solid. She has a good look. How she gets involved makes sense. James also works in his role. My issue comes from the writing with the logic of choices made. Marks is also solid. What is funny is that she seems more level headed than you’d expect. I did like that. I’ve already said that Shang worked in his role, again my issue comes from what I’m guessing is writing. Other than that, Wolfe-Murray and the rest of the cast also fit what was needed.
In conclusion, this offers an intriguing premise, blending a haunted house narrative with a time loop concept, and succeeds in creating a visually solid, lower-budget horror experience. The film's core concept—a curse trapping the main cast (especially Spearman and Marks)—works. However, the narrative is hindered by logical gaps, such as Andy's hasty inclusion, a shallow explanation of the manor's entity, and unclear time-loop stakes. Good cinematography and practical effects are undercut by underdeveloped story elements and weak CGI, leaving it a functional independent horror film that fails to fully realize its ambitious potential.
My Rating: 6 out of 10