Sator (2019) User Reviews

Minimal dialogue and sense

[aeongale · 5/10 · 10 February 2021]

Here's a film about men with beards and an old lady that hears voices. And some spooky stuff in the woods too. It's a good eerie setting and the silence works for tension building but character motives are never established. A lot of what is happening is implied. Maybe I missed a bit or a lot of the subtext. So while I could dismiss Sator as cryptic nonsense, it's very well made to string you along and is visually pleasing throughout, enough so that's it's an alright film overall.

Eerie but lame script

[NickKnack68 · 5/10 · 6 December 2021]

The whole "let the audience figure it out" thing is getting played out. Here's a film that's very well shot and features a constant sense of dread, is as spooky as it gets, BUT ... the script is nearly non existent and the pacing will test anyone's patience. Seriously. Enough with the "this will reward patient viewers" nonsense. Hire a script writer FFS.

Ridiculously slow and literally put me to sleep

[verbalgenius · 4/10 · 2 January 2022]

This movie was on my radar for a while and I finally decided to watch it after looking at the trailer... It starts off okay, but nothing really happens, acting is okay, but there is no backstory on any of the characters, I just did not get it and couldn't wait for it to be over,it was so boring I went to sleep after watching this at 9pm, just not my type of film.

Stupor

[tmccull52 · 2/10 · 11 February 2021]

This film should have been entitled "Stupor" because that's what you'll be in by the time that anything remotely interesting happens.

If you're look for a moody, atmospheric cure for insomnia, then "Sator" is the movie for you. "Slow burn"? That is a galactically monumental understatement. Watching this movie is like watching a series of still photographs, shown in torturously slow succession, where there are only miniscule changes to the photographs as they're displayed. This film would have to be elevated several levels to attain the classification of boring.

I've been more interested and entertained watching the neighbor's dog taking a dump on my front lawn. You wait and you wait and you wait for something to happen... and it never does.

The only element of "horror" to this movie is the valuable time that you'll kill by watching it. Do yourself a service and pass on this waste of film and resources. I have rarely been more disappointed after watching a movie than I was after watching this dreck.

Nop

[PedroPires90 · 4/10 · 13 February 2021]

I think you probably can enjoy this if you take 10 double espressos.

Interesting atmosphere. That's it. I totally believe that people who create this all-artsy horror films are the same people who pay 1000£ for a meal in a gourmet restaurant. Very pretty, but in truth, your mum's food tastes much better.

And what a waste of a very interesting cinematography and creatures design. 😴

Brutally slow paced and pointless...

[paul_haakonsen · 2/10 · 20 February 2021]

I was lured in to watch "Sator" from the rather interesting and appealing cover the movie had. But, of course, you shouldn't judge a movie by its cover, which was very true in the case of this 2019 movie.

Sure, I hadn't heard about the movie prior to sitting down to watching it in 2021. And from the movie's cover, I believed I would be in for quite an enjoyable and entertaining horror movie. But no, instead I suffered through an incredible slow paced and pointless story. Truth be told, I couldn't even finish the movie. Yeah, it was that boring and tedious. And believe you me, I have absolutely no interest in returning to watch the rest of the movie, as I didn't care one ounce about the storyline or the characters in the movie.

This movie was a massive swing and a miss from writer and director Jordan Graham. Perhaps I was not in the target audience for this kind of movie, though I have been watching horror movies for about 37 years or so. But of course, not everything can be appealing and interesting, and "Sator" was one such movie.

The storyline told in "Sator" just offered absolutely nothing of interest for me, so it was quite the torture to sit through the movie, and to make matters worse, the fact that the movie was so slow paced and had literally nothing interesting happening, just added salt to the wound.

If you enjoy a proper atmospheric horror movie, do yourself a favor and give "Sator" a wide berth. Some of us suffered through this ordeal so you don't have to.

My rating of the 2019 movie "Sator", lands on a mere two out of ten stars.

Great Horror Movie

[portal1790 · 7/10 · 11 February 2021]

This one was a very nice surprise. Well balanced horror folklore with an amazing cinematography. "The Survivalist" keep coming to my mind . I really love this movie

Put to purification

[nogodnomasters · 2/10 · 8 May 2021]

The story centers on Adam (Gabriel Nicholson) who is looking for the Sator, a Wendigo like creature who lives in the woods. He listens to tapes of his Nani (June Peterson ) who now has dementia. She talks about the Sator using biblical language. Adam knows there will be a test, followed by suffering, and then purification. His mother had gone missing as well as his dog.

The picture was dreary. I had no idea what was going on in this garbled mess. It was real, it wasn't real. He family was crazy, he was crazy. Not much in the way of normal conversation. And where did they keep getting all those beers?

Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.

Better Than The Witch

[joseph_f_klatt · 6/10 · 13 February 2021]

You can tell there was a lot of thought that went into this movie. It had the same vibe as The Witch. Heard it took the director/writer 7 years to make this movie. Slow burn but the movie isn't very long so the slow burn works.

Have to pay attention to understand the movie. It's fairly scary but doesn't top Hereditary or Sinister (two of the scariest movies I've ever seen). But it's a decent movie that will keep you on the edge. Way underrated for reviews.

Started off interesting but then fell flat

[pass275-895-473400 · 5/10 · 10 February 2021]

Everyone wants to be The VVitch, or Hereditary but fall short. I respect the low budget-ness, but just no pay off.

In the deep, dark woods...

[halhewgley · 8/10 · 20 February 2021]

Well if you're a "horror fan" but you tend to only watch the Freddy/Jason/Michael Myers movies over and over, this movie is not for you...

However, if you like movies like "The Witch", "Blair Witch Project" and can get into existential dread and supernatural horror, this creepy and cohesive movie will cast a spell on you and pull you in. Quite a bit is left unknown, and quite a bit is a puzzle so there is some work on behalf of the viewer. You can't merely just watch with your loud bros and throw your popcorn up in the air and scream and giggle when the next jump scare happens.

The acting is minimal and emotive. Most of the dialogue comes from Nani/Grandma who doesn't merely act, she IS the character. You'll see what I mean. To me, this is the creepy heart of the movie.

Visually it's dark, dreary, atmospheric and full of doom with Pagan references and a dash of what I would call a rustic, Cascadian Black Metal aesthetic. I loved the raw, minimal grit of the cinematography which is really well done. Also, I suggest watching with headphones in order to get the whole quiet is loud vibe of the film. The sound design is spot on as well.

For me, a longtime and avid horror fan, very rarely do I find the kind of movie that I wished I had made. It goes up there with my classics. Sator is one that I would recommend to fans of existential dread, atmospheric horror, and people that love to be creeped out. Not "boo!" jump cut scared, but genuinely creeped out when you go to bed and then the movie lingers in your thoughts the next day. I loved Sator. I watched it last night and I think I want to watch it again today.

Misunderstood

[lizshotter · 7/10 · 15 January 2022]

There are films out there that require patience and imagination. Much like "come true" this film doesnt hand things to you. The beauty of this film for me was the cinematography and the intensley private nature of the protagonists life. We are so quick to dismiss media that doesn't immediately grab us and thrust its message in our faces. The directors commitment to this work, despite a very limited budget is the most inspiring part of this film. He did everything, including building the cabin! There's no doubt that it lacks coherence, particularly in the first 40 minutes, but read the trivia. Sator was very real to "nani", and its message of mental health, family secrets and isolation were very apparent. The camera work is sublime, particularly when tracking through the rooms filled with candles and everyone involved in this should be proud of it.

Pretentious and just terrible

[nick_holloway · 1/10 · 23 May 2021]

People here saying 'if you only like xyz, then you wont like this'.

No, its actually possible to enjoy well made slow burn psychological, dread, etc etc horror movies like the witch, and others. While simultaneously thinking this movie is pretentious garbage that was boring, terribly written, acted, etc.

Wish i could give a 0.

Don't necessarily avoid but tired and average...

[mrmontyhall · 4/10 · 28 July 2021]

The film is nearly very good but after a long build up that's too slow, tension has been barely built and the climax is utterly disappointing. It's the 'blockbuster indie' genre-aesthetic of the Witch (and similar films) which I thinks great but again despite promise or direction this is never fulfilled with a set piece or anything.

The film also attempts an abstract storytelling by the end but this is a bit hamfisted and instead feels a bit like poor writing or just plain nonsense.

Nothing new with the story, spirits encroach on the material world, corrupting a family until disturbing violence erupts. The deer skull and gas lantern style is one of my favourites but really could have been amped up, you'll know what I mean by the end when you've barely seen anything terrifying happen at all...

I definitely wanted the film to be much better than it was, but it wasn't! Don't necessarily avoid but I wouldn't seek it out.

All style no substance like a story, Acting, directing, you know making a decent a Movie!!

[joiningjt · 4/10 · 7 July 2021]

Sorry critics are giving this a higher score than the conjuring what ever they're smoking I'll invest my life savings into!! This film is a 4 only for the creepy woods cinematography . The story is downright stupid with no saving grace at all. The acting is mediocre at best and it made no sense at all. There are 3 scenes of some action otherwise it's people looking at each other. If you like watching trees grow and then watching paint dry this is for you.

Ok start, falls flat

[chefal-94045 · 5/10 · 11 February 2021]

Some films are worth waiting and sitting through, this isn't one of them. Creepy atmosphere, beautiful cinematography plagued with poor story and pacing. Disappointing to say the least.

Slow Horror Art

[stevenhorr · 6/10 · 14 May 2021]

I love slow and atmospheric horrors but this one fell a little below expectations. I was very impressed by the overall mood and many of the ambient scenes. Beautiful to look at. Effectively creepy. But the characters were so slow and self-reflective that I didn't find them believable. And I rarely understood what was going on or why. Maybe a second viewing will reveal some of its secrets.

Well I guess it was "artistic"...

[Sobertoaster-764-479561 · 2/10 · 17 January 2022]

And you will get over that real quick once you've seen a few movies like this and just start calling them for what they are. Lazy and boring. I bet half the script was literally pages of something written along the lines of "long drawn out meandering shots of the beautiful forest (only thing It had going for it) and a blank facial expression on the actors face as they stare off into the abyss" OK guys we got a brilliant piece of art now! WOAH was it really a creature/demon or was it just mental illness? I literally just don't care, it was too boring to even care about it's "meaning", It wasn't good on a surface level. Also I have read there was some "true" grandma stuff interjected in the film like a real life family member having these experiences. Plain and simple, doesn't make the film good. Sorry to say. Interesting detail about the film, no relevance to it being good or bad. 'Twas bad buddy.

A slow burn horror flick that asks you to stop and smell the roses and not ask too much of it's plot

[youngcollind · 7/10 · 6 December 2021]

While the narrative is present, and linear, it's also quite minimal, open ended, and let's face it, not that unique, considering how often "sinister force in the woods" has been used as a horror backdrop.

However, if you can judge a movie for qualities other than the story, this film has a lot going for it. The cinematography is just gorgeous, finding picture perfect ways of framing the natural landscape and experimenting with a mix of film styles that complement the shifting moods. The creatures and effects are suitably understated, resonating real creepiness without ever crossing over to Hollywood cheesiness.

While I was able to fully enjoy the film without hearing any of the backstory, it is especially cool to learn how much of it stems from the singular vision of the multi-talented Jordan Graham, who interspersed real footage of his grandmother speaking about her genuine belief in the titular creature.

Pretentious Slog

[manhaxor · 2/10 · 1 September 2021]

Apes the forms of Astar and Bruckner but with far, far too little substance to justify the feature length runtime.

Deep and mystical if slow-burn folk horror effort

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 8/10 · 27 October 2019]

Living alone out in the woods, a man welcomes his brother and his family out to visit, but when a strange series of encounters with strange beings out in the woods occur he comes to believe the old stories from his grandmother about an evil being living out in the woods and tries to stop it.

There was quite a lot to like in this one. One of the better elements to be had is the film's folk-horror leanings to build an enjoyable atmosphere present. With the vast majority of the film taking place in the woods, the idea of his routine as he goes about setting up in the woods gathering food, monitoring his residence or going out with his dog to keep his skill sharp before his brother comes to visit, the sense of isolation found here makes for an engrossing start since this normalcy is always tainted by ideas that something sinister is lurking just off-screen deep in the woods. As that woodland lifestyle grows more comforting, those ideas of something twisted living out there with him. The slow-burn approach here means that the creepy happenings, starting innocently with the dogs' disappearance and his grandmother's continued insistence that a being named Sator is in contact with her that can be written off as delusional rantings of a senile old-woman, they slowly start to tell a larger, darker story. Fueled by the demonic, barely audible whispers and strange feelings that something's in the woods, watching him, this makes for a rather enjoyable effort here as it feels as though the buildup is going somewhere. That also leads to the eventual outcome where the build-up finally pays off. Ignited by the nightmarish confrontation in the woods, there's a sudden and noticeable change of tone here where the film picks up speed and intensity in the series of encounters out in the woods. The sense of foreboding atmosphere in the woods is impressive and the snowfall creatures a picturesque look to everything, while the two attacks here are both chilling and creepy which are quite fun to see play out. Combined with the few brutal moments we get here that leave quite an impression and the twisted look of the demons, these are what work well for this one. That said, there are a few problems here. The main element that holds this one back is a dull and dreary pace that rarely allows anything to happen. Despite the slowly encroaching dread, this one never provides any energy to anything and is so laid-back and restrained in its delivery that it's possible to check out quite easily. As these scenes, from the brotherly relationship to the family dynamics that we get an idea about in their home-video flashbacks and simply wandering through their lives, just float on by with very little enthusiasm which put off a lot of viewers which is the main detrimental factor here.

Rated Unrated/R: Violence and Language.

Submit yourself to Sator

[gedikreverdi · 6/10 · 11 July 2021]

His mom is missing. His dog is missing. His grandfather is dead. His grandmother is losing his memory and was visited by Sator and she's called Nani by his grandchildren and mother of the grandchildren wrote them down. Adam lost Deborah who's his wife probably and it was an accident they said but didn't elaborate. Adam was isolated and living alone in a different cabin in the forest. He was visited by skull beings and was taking pictures of them in the forest and printing the photo to see them. He then ended up in a cave in the forest where he saw him. His sister was blaming his Ma and Adam and she thought they were dangerous. She thought her grandfather died because Ma killed him. Her brother visited Adam in his cabin and got killed by him and burnt in the furnace so he could be a burnt offering to Sator. There was this woman whom he chased in the forest until she was sucked up in the air at night. And then they killed and burnt his sister too and he sat with Nani and a skull together in the house. The forest was fascinating and spooky both at night and during the day; both in summer and in winter. The recordings of ma on what's written by Nani was creepy and Adam was listening to them all the time.

Sluggish

[tt-52611 · 2/10 · 1 July 2021]

Slower than the banana slug that appears a couple of times throught this pretty, slow roller.

Mount Rushmore of worst horror films ever

[petarilic32 · 1/10 · 9 October 2021]

I profoundly regret watching this. It's definitely in top 10, maybe even top 5 worst movie I've ever seen.

There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING going on. I kept waiting for this "slow burn" to turn into somehting.. yet it never did. It's not even a slow burn, that would be an insult to slow burn flicks, it's just pointless.

Everything is darker than black, it surpasses that episode in Game of Thrones season 8. You can't see what's going on 95% of the time but that's good because nothing happens anyway!

With pleasure - 0/10.

Brutally dull.

[cruise01 · 1/10 · 10 November 2021]

.5 out of 5 stars.

Sator is one of the worst horrible films ever. Its dull. Dread. And slow. If its way of getting scares is by boring the viewers. It definitely works. Plot is dull. Barely any dialogue. Or scares.