Tags:
Film: The Surrender
Year: 2025
Director: Julia Max
Writer: Julia Max
Starring: Kate Burton, Colby Minifie and Neil Sandilands
Review:
This was a film that I saw pop up on Shudder and it went on a list of ones to check out. It seemed like this could be a folk horror movie, which I’m a fan of. This subgenre tends to work for me as long as whatever is made is solid. Since I wasn’t able to get to the theater for a 2025 release, I decided to make this a Featured Review for Journey with a Cinephile. I’ve also now given it a second watch to see where it fell for my end of year list.
Synopsis: a fraught mother-daughter relationship is put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies and the grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to bring her husband back from the dead.
We set the stage here in an interesting way. We see blood on what looks like desert ground. It is dark surrounding what we’re seeing. It is framed in a way where we look downwards. We then see that there’s a creature feasting on a body.
It then shifts to a house that belongs to Robert (Vaughn Armstrong) and his wife, Barbara (Kate Burton). Staying with them is Megan (Colby Minifie), their daughter. As the synopsis states, these two have a strained relationship. Robert is dying from cancer. Megan is here to help with his care. The two women don’t see eye-to-eye though.
A point of contention is that Robert agreed to help fund a scholarship for Megan, if they couldn’t get a grant. Barbara disagrees. With the state that he’s in, Megan needs her to agree to it. She does give her mother the night off, but this creates issues. She gave Robert morphine earlier than scheduled. Barbara came home and then gave him another dose at the scheduled time. This leads to what happens in the synopsis.
Now things to point out here are that Megan sees her father to help her make decisions. She knows he’s not there. This is similar to how I’ll talk to myself to work through things. Barbara has turned to pagan ideas and believes that she knows of a way to bring Robert back. This includes the aid of a mysterious man, played by Neil Sandilands. This ritual requires complete buy-in. It can’t be stopped once it starts. It will strain these two women’s relationship even more, plus it could be their downfall as well.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I wanted to start was something I’ve also now seen others saying about this film. The horror is reserved for mostly the 3rd act. At the heart of this for most of it, we have a family drama. I don’t completely hate it for what it is doing though. This feels like it is borrowing from things like A Dark Song. We are isolated in a house with a small cast that are trying to perform a ritual. I’ll end these opening thoughts by saying that it falls short of that other film, but that’s not to say it is bad though.
This is a character study of Megan and Barbara, focusing on their relationship and the role of memories. Megan fondly remembers her ailing father, while Barbara, who loved Robert, contradicts Megan's perception, revealing his less pleasant side through flashbacks. This highlights the impact of perception, as Barbara, despite being seen as a villain, advocated for Megan, a stark contrast to her memories. This is also the root of their current relationship.
Sticking with these two, where they’ve ended up at this point in their lives, influences what they believe. Megan’s dreamer part has died. It seems that it did when she gave up dancing. She does want to start this scholarship for underprivileged teens. We see strong held beliefs from Barbara that are classist and racist. What is interesting there is that this develops the duality of her character. She has these beliefs, but she’s turned to pagan ideas to help Robert. Megan only looks at modern medicine, which has failed. These points helped to build the tension for this final act.
That is where I’ll go next. The ritual is complicated. Megan agrees to help since she expects it to fail. Her hopes are that her mother won’t resent her if she does. It makes sense, I will say that. The problem is that the deeper they get into the preparation, the more she realizes that she's enabling it. There are catastrophic implications to the real world. That’s when the horror truly starts with this strange man who shows up.
A sticking point here is whether this is horror. You truly need to hold out until we get to the third act for it. That’s not to say there’s not a couple of things that happen earlier on. One is a flashback and then the other with a mirror, which were effective. What I’ll say is that it builds tension with the strain between these two. It is then after you understand the characters more that it goes into it during the ritual. It doesn’t stick the landing as it seems to lose its way.
What is good here though is the acting performances. Minifie shines as the helpful but estranged daughter. Megan's emotional and physical journey is impactful. I appreciate her range, especially after seeing her menacing role in ‘Fear the Walking Dead’. Burton complements her well, maintaining a cold demeanor towards Megan. Barbara's resentment is understandable as the story progresses. Armstrong's portrayal of the sickly old man is good, serving as a voice of reason for Megan, which becomes more significant when the truth is revealed. Sandilands is effective as the creepy ritual facilitator. The supporting cast effectively pushes the leads to their conclusion.
All that is left then falls into filmmaking. The film excels in cinematography, especially with its use of the full frame to create suspense and its eerie lighting during the ritual. The make-up and effects for the disturbing entities were effective, as was the sound design, particularly when Megan hears noises above the ceiling and wall. The cosmic elements suggest later plot relevance. The music also complements the film well.
In conclusion, this offers a compelling family drama that skillfully builds tension, leading to a horror-infused third act. While it may not fully deliver on its horror promises, the film excels as a character study, bolstered by strong performances from Minifie and Burton. The effective cinematography, make-up, and sound design further enhance the unsettling atmosphere. Despite its minor shortcomings, The Surrender is a worthwhile watch for those who appreciate a slow-burn narrative focused on psychological depth and strained relationships.
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10