Genre: horror, fantasy, drama

Who is this for: Moms, slow burn-fans, alternative horror movie fans

Who is this not for: People who demand great special effects.

Made in France 2023. Kacey Mottet Klein, Ariane Labed, Grégoire Colin

Clearly done with small budget. What I saw was ONLY practical effects - which is a rarity for a movie made in 2023. In this case, the practical effects result in somewhat comical moments, because really, - they are not that great... or scary. 

However, the storytelling is solid. The Vourdalak offers a very basic, classic vampire tale, with underlaying warning of the weak gaps in our humanity serving as tools for the evil to have it's way with us. It highlights that the bloodsucker feeds very much on our vulnerability to love, especially - that, which we are all longing for, trusting in, complying to, and ready to shut our eyes for. Love can be a dangerous thing indeed.

PLOT

(Lotsa spoilers, please skip and watch the movie, it's better that way.)

The setting is somewhere in Romalia, Bulgaria, or in those areas. At the time of the story, the land is in turmoil because of invading turks. 

The main character is a diplomat of the French King, somehow separated from his company and lost and alone. He asks for a lodging and transportation back towards France, when he is directed to take a path to the house in the woods that can offer a stay and possibly a horse.

When he arrives at the house, there he meets:

• A woman who he is instantly lusting for. 
• Her brother, who appears to be a crossdresser, and who has a dog, 
• The older brother, who appears to be the head of the house most of the time. 
• The older brother's wife, and their little son.

The actual head of the house is supposed to be an old man, and soon it is revealed, that the old man took his musket and left the house, at his own accord, to hunt down some turk chieftain, who killed their whole village. The old man left a message behind, that if he is alive, he will return in 6 days. 6 days dead-line, or he's dead. If he comes back AFTER that, he must be a Vourdalak, and they shouldn't let him in.

The elder brother is a sceptic and doesn't believe in Vourdalaks. So it is no surprise that when an animated skeleton in the old man's coat appears, he thinks it must be the old man, and invites him in. Everyone else, including the courtier, sees a walking skeleton. The Vourdalak relies instantly on the family relations and dynamics, and orders "his son" the crossdresser one, to shoot his dog. The man objects, but cannot go agaisnt "his father" - even he sees that this is clearly not his father. So he shoots his dog by the Vourdalak's order.

This same gaslighting and manipulation tactics goes on within the family, while the sceptical older brother backs "his father" at his every claim and wish, and the whole scenario results in madness. The courtier's leave is delayed, and strangely he finds himself evolving relationships with each family member very quikly, simply by navigating through all the drama.

The Vourdalak feeds on the little boy, who then feeds on his mama, - at this point the crossdressing brother, the enchanting woman and the courtier try to kill the Vourdalak, - but again, the Vourdalak manipulates his way out of it and makes them dance to his whim. Finally, the courtier is provided with a horse, and he is ready to ride away - but he is deeply in love with the enchanting woman and desides to save her instead. He ends up bonking the Vourdalak discuised as the woman, and gets bit. Finally he lights the house of fire, while watching the Vourdalak love-bomb him to the bitter end.

Then the courtier rides away and meets the enchanting woman at a nearby cliff, gives her a map to the French court and tells her to go there and be happy. Then he jumps off the cliff to avoid becoming a Vourdalak, cause he just got bit. The woman also had turned to Vourdalak at this point, the courtier just was as unable, - or unwilling, to see this. So the woman Vourdalak takes the map and the horse and goes to the French court to love-bomb and consume everyone there.

The End

MY THOUGHTS

It is interesting that the whole plot happened in the matter of a couple of days. It took so very little time for the Vourdalak to weave it's power over the whole scenario, by simply relying in the family dynamics, expectations and affections.

The story told, that the Vourdalak prefers to feed on the people, who were his relatives or loved ones in life. Or does it prefer to do so, because it is so easy? By the script, whole villages were consumed by Vourdalaks, when everyone was somehow connected by house, marriage, or simply by love. So everyone welcomes eachother in. There is a gap there to slip through, that is hard for any emotionally normal person to refuse. The story is a valid reminder to us, to be careful of who we let in.

Especially love was very much highlighted in the context as the main focus of the Vourdalak. After all, we all hope for love, to feel and experience it. And we are often ready to overlook the red flags, or simply pass them by, merely to have that feeling, no matter how questionable or strange the source that offers it.

I also find it interesting, how everyone but the older brother saw clear as day, that what was among them was not the old man, but in fact an animated skeleton. Yet no one was brave enough to address it directly. Long as the eldest brother, the power of the family, wanted to believe, the Vourdalak had all the welcome. The oldest brother did not appear to see what the other saw. This is also very common in such relationships...

Yet, later in the story, the other family members already turned to Vourdalak looked much like themselves to the main character, as opposed to them looking like walking skeletons too. This may be, because he had formed an attachment to them, and so was simply unable to see them as the Vourdalak, even if he clearly knew that they were. The whole theme of what you see versus what you know, and what you want to see is heavy in this film and very interesting.

Another thought I was left with was: Was the Vourdalak an evil predator, or was it's need for love real in the end? I believe, this is EXACTLY how the Vourdalak would want me to think, and this film did a marvelous job on playing ME. I'd get eaten, no doubt!

SUMMARY

This could have been an AWESOME film, by slighly better effects, and perhaps a little heavier paint on the setting. The situation, where the country is actively being invaded, did not come through very well. It could have offered a great source for adding the feel of danger and uncertainly, and opressive isolating aspects to the setting, and added stakes to the horror plotline.

I recommend this film to anyone looking for an alternative to modern productions. The pace is slow, but well maintained. The effects are not great, and at times it's hard to know wether they were ment to look so funny or not. The comic relief was certainly welcome, and did not spoil the flick at all. Your mom could watch this, but kids could not, simply for the one sex scene.

You can watch the movie with subtitles for free here: https://ww3.soap2dayhdz.com/film/the-vourdalak-1630856725/