Hex (2017) User Reviews

Hex: I'm on the fence

[Platypuschow · 6/10 · 14 February 2018]

This British made miniscule budget horror is quite the film as when the credits rolled I honestly didn't know quite what to make of it. I was left scratching my head and thinking about what I had just watched in depth.

Set during the British civil war it tells the story of two soldiers from rival sides who are forced to put their differences aside as they realise that something within the forest is hunting them.

Beautifully shot Hex manages to create an atmosphere and the cast do a great job. In fact considering this cost around £1000 to make I'm highly impressed.

Now here is the thing though, building all that tension did it actually deliver in the end? My answer is, I'm not really sure.

I feel like the ending was certainly questionable, open to intepretation and an interesting moral talking point.

For what it is Hex is an accomplishment in film making undeniably but as a horror movie it lacks in areas it really shouldn't.

Damn fine effort all things considered.

The Good:

Outstanding considering the budget

Looks beautiful

Well made

The Bad:

Anti-climatic ending

Far too much yellow power ranger talk, I mean Barney the dinosaur, Bilbo Baggins? Sorry I always get my fictional characters mixed up, god.....too much god talk

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Upon learning that you are being stalked by a supernatural entity your courses of action should include splitting up and removing your armour.

A Well Done Micro Budget Horror Feature

[horrorfilmonlinereviews · 6/10 · 23 September 2020]

Hex is a low/micro budget horror/drama set in the English Civil War and makes good use of the costume of that period.

The performances are of a good standard and the two protagonists are well rounded and give the viewer a nice glimpse into the ideas and prejudices of the period.

One negative would be that the chasing around the woods went on a little long, but we are rewarded for putting up with that with a nice ending when the two soldiers finally meet the person they believe to be the witch who has been "haunting" them.

A solid film and worth a watch for those who appreciate small independent films.

A Simple Story Told Fairly Well

[wandernn1-81-683274 · 6/10 · 10 May 2020]

+1 for sound quality, especially at the beginning of the movie it just really caught my attention

+0 Stars for what I at first thought was poor fight acting / choreography or was it just more realistic? As you have to figure most soldiers at the time were poorly trained and used weapons that were too heavy and unwieldy for their use

+1 Star for being a moderately well told character study / story

-1 Star for at the end making me shout 'That was it?????!!!!'

Overall I liked this movie but i wouldn't label it a 'horror' movie. It doesn't fit into that category. It's not going to blow anyone away but it is entertaining for what it is.

Seriously impressive

[Phil_Chester · 26 July 2019]

Even to attempt to make a period film with no money is impressive enough, but to pull off a film this absorbing and compelling is no mean feat. A seriously gripping psychological thriller set during the height of the English Civil War and a time of great superstition. Very effective. Recommended viewing.

A Waste of 88 Minutes

[billsjob · 1/10 · 8 October 2019]

While the scenary was beautiful it couldn't make up for the terrible script. The sword fighting was bad, the acting so-so, and when it ended we were wondering if they forgot to include the rest of the movie. I assume that the glowing reviews were written by friends and family of the cast and crew.

Bland and rather unremarkable effort

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 2/10 · 18 November 2017]

Deep in the English Civil War, several soldiers on opposite sides of the war find their initial attempts to kill each other to be a side issue with their more pressing concerns of a ravenous witch in the forest with them and must put their differences aside to escape the mutual threat.

For the most part, this one was a pretty bad British horror effort. The technical qualities here are top-notch, as the lush forest and hillsides look quite creepy and chilling especially in the scenes with the two getting tormented by the witch's spells deep in the woods. As well, there's some decent work here with the overall concept of the witch in the woods in general which is nicely played up here with their paranoia over the situation and making for a fine enough time here. While these give this one some rather enjoyable elements here, the film does have some rather problematic areas. One of the main issues here is that the sense of pacing is so shoddy that it can be a detriment at times. That is the biggest problem to this one since it plays out so slowly that the running time feels far longer than it really is as events play out in an agonizing fashion with the length of time it takes to follow through. Hardly anything happens here at all for such long stretches of time that needlessly pads out the film more than it really should for nearly an entire hour here before anything really happens as the pacing is that off. Likewise, this one does have a few issues with its overtly obvious budget limitations. The simplistic plot, minimalist cast and generally one-note setup here all come across as being plainly obvious about the true nature of the film and it does make this rather obvious. There's a lot this overcomes, but it does become a part of the obvious nature of the film's overall look and feel which is so blatant about this issue that it does become a hindrance. Otherwise, this one doesn't have much else going for it.

Rated Unrated/R: Violence.

Boring snooze fest

[a291072 · 1/10 · 23 August 2019]

What a complete waste of time. It just goes on and on about nothing and brings more boredom.

"You fear murmurs and apparitions more than steel?"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 3/10 · 5 May 2022]

The movie has a good forest location in Bulgaria and the cinematography is pretty decent but the story moves at a tediously slow pace, like treacle going uphill. There are only two characters for most of the film and you don't get to know them as they have sparse dialogue, sometimes sitting around and doing and saying nothing which isn't that exciting. The wicked witch of the wood eventually turns up at the end but for so short an appearance that one doesn't get to understand why she does what she does (whatever it is she does do!) The ending is very abrupt leaving you to think, huh? The acting isn't convincing apart from Tony Broadbent as 'Dead Officer'.

A Universal Human Drama

[ben-36333 · 9/10 · 26 July 2019]

I thought this film was excellent. Between the haunting original score, the beautiful forest setting, and the 1600's English Civil War era coloring each character's history, I was so drawn in by Hex's overall feeling.

What was really spectacular, though, was how the story seemed to capture something more universal about how we behave toward one another during wartime, particularly when our minds are so influenced by dogma. Hex is a story about tribalism--the tribe of nations and ideas.

Christianity unites the two main characters despite the fact that they're enemies of war, but what Hex shines a light on so beautifully is: if the religious framework that these men hold so dearly doesn't prevent them from wanting to kill one another--how just is it?

Sometimes it takes an "outsider" to represent that light.

English Civil war witchcraft movie

[geeklegionofdoom · 7/10 · 23 November 2017]

During the English civil war in the seventeenth century, two soldiers from opposing sides find themselves deep in the forest, but they may not be alone. With an uneasy alliance these two men fear they are trapped in the forest by the supernatural forces of a witch

What works - A period drama with horror elements. - This movie has a great ending the makes you re-think the film and puts you as a viewer in a uncomfortable position, making you think about how you perceive things and question what you would do in this situation. Makes you think about how soldiers would deal with ptsd in those days. - Sells the authenticity of the period - Some wells shot spooky scenes

What doesn't work

• Most of this movie is watching these two guys in the forest not doing much which makes it dull at times - During these periods the film misses opportunities to flesh out these characters as they have very little dialog - One of the soldiers acting isn't as strong as the other - Fight choreography is quite pooer

British indie horror with a rubbish climax

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 21 November 2017]

HEX is a British indie horror film that feels like a cross between A FIELD IN ENGLAND and THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. The story is set during the English Civil War and has a few period trappings which are mostly effective. Two enemy soldiers, on opposite sides of the war, are lost in the wood and must come together to battle a sinister witch who curses them. A lot of the film is made up of okayish visuals with a lot of attempted atmosphere building and very little dialogue. It's a shame, then, that the pitiful climax destroys any of that build-up with some really wooden acting and zero horror whatsoever.

A fun film for sure!

[craigahrens · 9/10 · 20 July 2019]

The film starts slow out of the gate but just keeps building. The director did a good job in building tension which kept my interest. There's nothing better than a film set in 1644 that includes a witch, right? I enjoyed the fight scenes, they were done well I thought! It's always a fun ride for me when two people are pitted against each other due to circumstance and they are left to their own devices to find their way. This film worked for me and gets two thumbs up!!

Beautiful, tense, period piece with suspense

[pj-woodside · 7/10 · 7 August 2019]

A period piece is a really challenging movie to make on a budget, and to include a suspense element as well is a daunting prospect. This is a beautifully filmed movie about conflict on a man-to-man scale, with a lovely score and some excellent performances. Kudos to the filmmakers. I'm very interested in what they do next!

Not Awful, But Awfully Slow

[twelve-house-books · 2/10 · 18 November 2017]

You've heard of slow-burn films? I'm a big fan of slow-burn Gothic horror, ghost stories, and the like. That's what I hoped HEX would be. I was wrong. I got as far as the soldiers beginning to become friends around the campfire, sharing a leather bag of seeds or something. Then I had to stop. The film was too slow to watch. It was so slow, in fact, that it almost became a non-narrative, which is fine for art projects but not for actually telling a story. Slower than molasses on a wintry day? No, this film was slower than Christmas for a five year old the day after Christmas. Only watch it if you are friends with the actors or director. Otherwise, you may be disappointed. Oh, and don't watch it to get any real tips on sword fighting or grappling. Both are sub-par.

Slow and Steady Horror

[MRP-Ent · 7 August 2019]

This one starts slow and simple, then doesn't let up on the tension. Minimal in sets and cast, which works perfect for this story, HEX is a great entry in the recent resurgence of "art horror". The camerawork and score are also top notch here and really enhance the story!

This film is bad

[joseantonioga · 4/10 · 17 June 2020]

I am a huge fan of folk horror films and I really wanted to like this one. If you are looking for something like theVVitch, look somewhere else.

The acting is bad, the plot (?) is bad the sound effects and music are bad...

I don't normally write reviews but it surprised me the amount of outstanding comments made around the same date just like the comments on The Droving (which is slightly better).

Manipulating comments and ratings is bad. Bad as this film.

Moody yet terrible

[lostlogo · 5/10 · 19 September 2019]

This movie had a nice mood to it at times. Like a Jim Jarmusch film, but the ending for me was just too ironic. Good vs evil indeed. Left me angry and despising the supposedly righteous as is usually the case with period films. I was right about the film location though, everything is filmed in Bulgaria.

I didn't terribly dislike the movie

[Call-Me-Mr-Smith · 2/10 · 25 August 2019]

Not the worst movie I've seen, and that's a good thing. A throng of 'enthusiastic' reviews made my expectations set high, but it was obvious after the first scenes that we have a micro budgeted amateurish effort at hand. As I said, it was not terribly bad, but very few things worked for it. It was difficult to trot until the end, and the pace did not pick up throughout the weak conclusion. I watched it, so that you don't have to. I'd give it 3 stars, but with deduction due to shilling, 2/10.

Incredible!

[dgjones-62258 · 2/10 · 30 September 2019]

How did this get made? I can only guess it was a vanity project with wealthy parents.

If it is an example of 'Guerrilla' film making in a forest, it would have been much better if it was two guerrilla's in a forest trying to understand... what I don't know.

Hat's off to whoever did the soundtrack.

This was so bad I kept watching, Probably the worst film I've ever seen. I have no axe to grind, but don't waste your time.

Amazing Historical Thriller

[chuckwes-38773 · 10/10 · 22 July 2019]

This movie has been on my radar for a while after I heard about it on Twitter.

The cinematography is beautiful. I know that's a strange thing to say about a horror/thriller film, but you must see Harry Young's work in this to understand what I mean. Nino Russell's musical score doesn't overpower the scenes and gives a chilling ambiance.

The small cast is phenomenal, which is on the surprising side with a reported budget of £1,000 (approximately $1200). Daniel Oldroyd plays Richard, who isn't convinced that there is a witch, at first, while Thomas, William Young, knows that something evil controls the woods. The strange awkwardness between the two soldiers is a delight to watch; neither trust the other, but understand they must work together for survival.

The intensity maintained throughout the film kept me satisfied and intrigued until the final moment. If you are looking for a strong psychological thriller in a historical setting, I strongly urge you to watch Hex. I wasn't disappointed.

Independent Horror at its best

[arranwilburt · 7/10 · 28 July 2019]

Fans of independent horror will be in for a treat here. A tension filled horror mystery with a fabulous twist ending. Don't be expecting high production values it's low budget sure but no less of a film because of this.

Too Dull For Words

[yargyenrac · 1/10 · 11 September 2020]

Incredibly slow, dull film that badly needed a screenwriter. Nothing happens.

Gorgeous Indie Thriller

[JGReviews · 9/10 · 22 July 2019]

I really enjoyed Hex. The film is a slow-burn horror film that follows two soldiers from opposite sides of the English Civil War in the 1600s who find themselves trapped deep in a forest controlled by a witch. I very much like period horror films since they bring a new setting and interpretation to the genre that is sometimes otherwise a bit repetitive. Some of it reminded me of The Witch (The VVitch?) which I know many people, including myself, loved. The film has unique indie sensibilities as well, such as real taking its time and letting every little moment build the tension, as opposed to the occasionally wham-bam pace of a Hollywood horror film. The locations and cinematography are also quite gorgeous and really added to the quality of the film. I'd highly recommend Hex to anyone looking for a quality indie thriller.

Shows the many sides of conflict, war and religion

[jimlewisjr · 7/10 · 31 March 2020]

This a very well shot and well produced film. Henry Young did an excellent job on the cinematography on this movie. The acting is solid, characters are engaging and the locations are perfect. Great costuming and props too. Show how violent deaths and war strangely bring people together.

3 for the scenery

[Janebo · 3/10 · 2 June 2022]

Too bad the glowing reviews leaving 7+ stars are clearly from people involved with this film. It is boring. Then, it ends so abruptly and brutally, with no explanation of why this witch is so evil and with actions completely out of character for the two "soldiers", it really leaves you saying WTF.

The scenery is pretty and one of the "soldiers" reminds me of my first crush in the third grade. He was in the sixth. And that's all the good I have to say about it. It's a shame really, because I love period pieces.

This is far from a 10, I'm struggling with giving it 3.