The Necromancer (2018) User Reviews

It had potential, but ended up being rubbish...

[paul_haakonsen · 3/10 · 18 November 2019]

I must admit that I was instantly lured in by the title of the movie, I mean, "The Necromancer", it just doesn't get much more ominous than that. And being an avid horror fan, of course I sat down for watching this 2018 movie from writer and director Stuart Brennan.

While I did manage to sit through the entire ordeal that is "The Necromancer", I can in all honesty say that I wasn't particularly entertained, much less impressed with what transpired on the screen. And why is that?

Well, first of all, the movie is slow paced with very little of any great interest happening throughout the course of the entire movie. This was essentially just watching a group of grown men dressed up in old uniforms and do cosplay in the great forest, accompanied by some questionable camerawork.

Sure, I will say that the props and costumes were quite good, and that really worked in favor of the movie, and the production level was good as well, but this was hardly enough to make up for a total lack of an adequately entertaining storyline and script.

The acting in the movie was dubious, so you shouldn't get your expectations up for experiencing anything grand or Shakespearian here. But then again, the actors and actresses literally had nothing to work with from the script.

As for the characters, well they were flaccid and rather faceless. You don't really form any bond with any of them, and you just watch the torment inflicted upon them, shrug and move on, waiting for the next one to be targeted by the sinister force in the forest.

Then when the necromancer was finally revealed towards the end of the movie, you just stare in disbelief and go 'seriously? They opted for that?'. It was such an anti-climatic reveal that didn't work out well for the movie, which was already struggling with a losing uphill battle.

While the intentions behind "The Necromancer" were good and interesting, the movie just didn't translate well from script to screen, and this is not a movie that I would recommend you spend your time, money or effort on. Some of us did, and suffered through it, so you don't have to.

My rating of "The Necromancer" is a mere three out of ten stars.

Poorly scripted and a missed opportunity

[gabriel-888-977884 · 2/10 · 1 November 2018]

Well that's 90 minutes I won't get back. What a crock of crap. I had high hopes for this film but was sorely disappointed.

Bad acting and weird accents. There were a few good bits but they were few and far between. I found myself questioning the production and costumes as the film was so poor. Not recommended.

A real winner in bad film top trumps.

[nopplex · 2/10 · 4 November 2018]

This film is so terrible. I couldn't work out if an actor in a moderately central role was giving the worst performance I've ever seen on the big screen or whether he was poorly served with some of the worst writing. So poorly edited it was jarring. One positive would be it sets the bar for bad films to be measured against.

Don't do it to yourself!

[ZeroRott · 1/10 · 26 June 2019]

This is the cinematic equivalent of self harm (or overly dramatic munching on pinecones - spoiler) Horrendously bad, but at least it's inspired some of the most disingenuous and laughable reviews written by the cast and their friends.

If you want an insight into delusion, watch it and then read the reviews.

Made an account just to tell you how bad it is.

[volpusm · 1/10 · 9 November 2018]

Saw this film when it was making its rounds at film festivals.

Came here to see if others felt the same way and clearly some do.

One person actually credited in the film gave it a 10/10! How great.

The film is all over the place, relatively easy to follow but the pacing is just weird and not worth your time. Writing in general is clunky and obvious.

Acting is medium - some of it is a bit hammy but oh well.

Cinematography is ok, the idea is there but the use of the drone is obvious with the twitchy movements.

They go to the black forest to get to England, makes zero sense.

Also, the battle of Waterloo was not related to Waterloo until sometime after the battle, so it makes no sense that the soldiers would refer to going to 'Waterloo'. Some simple research would've helped with a lot of the film.

When the actress uses her real name to review the worst film of all time

[muamba_eats_toast · 1/10 · 2 November 2018]

Never normally bother writing an actual review but I feel it is my duty to warn others how absolutely awful this film was. Anyone who claims a film other than this is the worst of all time hasn't seen this. Lacks any sense of direction, often makes no sense, half the film is fuzzy out of focus twigs although that is better than the horrific acting the only scary thing about this film was that someone actually signed this film off as more than a failed gcse project

As Poor as it Gets!

[Ben_Weaver · 1/10 · 2 November 2018]

Finally a movie worse than Jaws The Revenge! At least with that movie I made it to the end credits! I can only assume that some of the glowing 10 star reviews on here are written by members of the cast and crew, production/distribution company or by people who have simply never seen a film before! The Necromancer really was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I forced myself to stay with it for as long as possible but after approximately one hour I gave up and simply walked out of the theatre - thankfully I have a monthly membership with the cinema chain and I didn't pay any money to watch this excuse for a film! The film literally felt like a poorly executed student film - I have been a film/TV student myself so I know what a poor, low budget student film looks like! In fact I have seen amateur high school dramas on YouTube that are better than this! Just about everything was wrong with it! Poor amateurish acting, laughable dialogue, lack of direction, film editing that was so poor it actually caught your attention - I could go on! I have only walked out on a movie twice in over 40 years of being a film fan as It's something I don't generally agree with. In this case I felt compelled!

So much material and potential for an original story about so many things wasted

[boudica-of-inceni · 4/10 · 21 June 2020]

I'm not sure if this was one of those Indie thing because usually I like to watch them because in spite of budgets and new actors you can find a pretty good, unique story about all sorts of things. However, a war period piece about the French and English wars, being near Germany (which in a way I'm not sure if factual) and entering the Black Forest, well it seemed as if the writers, etc missed a golden opportunity about tales, legends and the early reputation of the Black Forest was such a wasted opportunity for some "blow you mind" type of stuff and those things can more often than not lead to some good story telling. The beginning battle scene was not very realistic but that can be forgiven as some projects do not have the budget for great battle scenes and I can get that weary soldiers being tired of the horrors of war and wanting to leave and somehow come to the Black Forest. Okay, that could be interesting given how isolated that area is and still is to some degree. I thought maybe a "ritual" type of movie about creatures that inhabit that area in a story book fashion and the effect it could have on this group of men as they travel through it, being confronted with their past, with things they feel guilty about or bad things they have done and having to face those things and either resolving them or falling victim to them in the way of the punishment fitting the crime/sin/bad thing they did where some live and some die by their own behavior. That sounds interesting and the beginning of their travel into it seemed rather good. It would be interesting to have a horror/war drama/mystery type of film with mythological creatures that were rumored (usually from outsiders) to allegedly be there. If anyone has seen them tv series "Grimm" would understand a bit. But then it fell flat. Sure, there were those who were confronted with the things they did and the people they hurt and were punished in ways that for most didn't make to much sense. Then we meet the Necromancer and it is anti climatic mostly because the backstory flopped for the most part and it could have been something rather interesting and wasn't. There was mention of the Brother's Grimm but that was practically a side note and nothing came of it. The characters and movie fell short of something that could have been unique and satisfying for the audience because one thing I think people like in horror films is a little bit of mystery as to WHY things are happening and to have some sort of decent explanation. Instead there were these elves, half elves, demons, whatever running around and appearing for some people and not for others. That seemed like something they would have expanded on a bit. As far as the acting and actors, I only criticize them if there was absolutely no effort or if they sound as if this is the first time they've read their lines. There was a descent enough attempt by the actors to tell the story and some were quite good and that is why I am giving this a 4 out of 10. I really wish the writer and director would have put more thought behind this story. Sometimes having the audience come to their own conclusion works very well but it didn't in this one. The audience has to have something to work with for this to happen. It had a lot of potential and fell very short and that's sad because this could have been a very good story or a descent one.

Shocking

[tomplatt-75816 · 1/10 · 27 October 2018]

Absolutely terrible. Can't believe it was given a cinema release. The ending was predictable and as camp as Christmas. Whoever decided to fund this needs their head checking. Do not waste your time or money

A low in independent filmmaking

[artabuneta · 2/10 · 23 June 2020]

The premise in itself is interesting. The script, the utterly insipid, simplistic dialogues and the amateurish acting (on a level with that of a not-so-brilliant high school troupe), paired with special effects clearly inspired by Pan's Labyrinth (albeit the version you'd expect elementary school children to make for themselves for Halloween) soon make it hard to keep a straight face.

Add to that a complete disregard for period detail and wigs so visibly artificial that you expect a label sticking out of them saying '100% polyester' and you wouldn't be surprised if one of the characters were to check his messages on an Apple Watch on screen.

Makes you wonder what the jury's standards are at the Bristol Festival. The real horror is thinking about what the other films presented will have been like if this is the winner.

Finally a real British action film

[larissa-teale · 10/10 · 2 November 2018]

Gritty and gripping. Fantastic actors. Proof that Independent films in Britain need to be held up against those from hollywood.

An interesting film, good in parts

[mair-65631 · 7/10 · 4 November 2018]

The reviews so far seem polarized between this being the best film ever and the worst. I think the truth is somewhere in between, but the good bits outshine the bad, making it worth a watch. Good: The music, the cinematography, the performances of the 'dark elves', the interesting story. Bad: some of the actors, some of the dialogue. But enough of quality and originality here to forgive the rough edges. I'd say it was worth a trip to the cinema.

Total utter rubbish of the highest order

[gabriel-888-977884 · 2/10 · 2 November 2018]

Well that's 90 minutes I won't get back. Bad acting and terrible script. I had high hopes for this film but it was ridiculously uneventful.

Just when you thought it was going to be good it descended into ham acting and nonsense. The costumes didn't look right and the locations didn't match the script that well.

Bafflingly terrible

[agasi999 · 1/10 · 27 October 2018]

Terrible film. Walked out 30min into the film. Half the people in the cinema I was watching fell asleep or got bored out of their minds. How did this even get a major release? Baffling!

Low budget curiosity - Not that terrible (or great) and not deserving of such vitriol

[PutneyTrope · 4/10 · 10 July 2022]

This reviewer took it for what it was (low budget and amateurish at times) and didn't mind it. Ambitious in spite of it's flaws. Another soldiers lost in the menacing forest film. Can't speak to the authenticity of the historic events, weapons, or garb (some of the dialogue seemed odd though). The plot makes more sense than The Terror (1963). Entire affair is minimal. Filmed nicely enough. Personally, I enjoy drone shots in the outdoors (every Horror film has one these days). The story is just OK. The acting was fine. Practical effects were passable. I agree with other reviewers about missed opportunities. I kept hoping for the story to move in a unique direction. It really didn't. The plot was the big let down. I can't actually recommend this film unless you are a war/horror film completest. I am...and don't feel any worse off for having watched it.

One of the worst movies ever. .

[sergio-392-695924 · 1/10 · 27 July 2020]

One of the worst movies ever watched in my entire life. I had to skip ahead, horrible.

The Best Film Ever - If You're Brain Dead!

[grahammwiles · 1/10 · 19 November 2019]

Most films that start with a quote fail within the first 5min. This film managed to flunk within 30sec.

What really gets me here is that some rated this 10 stars - really? Zombie Viewers Alert!

There is absolutely nothing worth mentioning about this film-flunk... its just that!

Avoid even thinking about even trying to watch this seriously rubbish tosh!

Boring with a truly awful ending

[Talismancer · 1/10 · 7 December 2019]

As others have said, it's men doing cosplay walking in the forest. The occasional flash-back to the men's past lives and misdeeds do nothing to bring any dimension to the characters. The acting isn't bad (if a bit flat)...they just had nothing to act with. The end spoiler is that the sickly individual they meet in the forest is indeed the eponymous necromancer. It's just too awful to actually watch while the necromancer costume is laughable.

What in the hell did I just watch?

[kkmgirl-448-111988 · 2/10 · 8 November 2023]

2 stars for some decent cinematography, but this was a hot mess from start to finish. I don't care how low your budget, bad wigs are a death knell. And research is free, so there's no excuse for inaccurate history. I've seen better versions done of "guilty-conscience-voices in the forest," so there was no point in making a poor imitation. These battle weary men are awfully clean and their backstories aren't terribly interesting... I couldn't even tell you any of their names. The acting might have been more noticeable if it weren't for the constant interruption from cut scenes and flashbacks, but the majority I actually paid attention to was fairly poor (especially from the women for some reason). The horror parts were ok, but the ending with the necromancer was laughable. The 10 star reviews are written by their own people which is even worse... Captain Obvious much?

Looks good but lacks bite.

[parry_na · 5/10 · 9 January 2021]

In 2013, Film4 Productions released 'A Field in England', about a group of characters thrown together during the English Civil War. Filmed in black and white, it threw the men into a maelstrom of hallucinogenic horror. Perhaps it is coincidence, but there are more than a few similarities between that production and 'The Necromancer' - and that can be no bad thing. Whereas the 2013 release was filmed in stark black and white and directed by Ben Wheatley, this is in glorious colour and directed and written by Stuart Brennan.

'The Necromancer' strives to be a weird and spiritual piece, with moments of strange and demonic horror. The soldiers' uniforms provide a splash of colour amidst the lush forests and foliage in which the group spend the majority of the 88 minute running time.

While the acting is good, and the cinematography is terrific, the film is sadly dull, spending far too long between anything particularly interesting, or much less frightening, happening. For a low budget venture, it looks great, and the sinister moments are pretty good when they come, but lack the necessary spectacle to sufficiently liven things up.

My score is 5 out of 10.

Highly original story that Hollywood could only dream of .

[barrythackrey · 9/10 · 30 October 2018]

A rare movie indeed . Never before have I had the pleasure of witnessing a movie like this . A horror movie set in the redcoat era . Though many would glance over this kind of film .I saw the trailer and found it intriguing headed to the cinema ..

a small group of soldiers enter the Black forrest in Germany to find all is not as it seems . The actors are all very capable , battle weary and tired . All put in very good ,highly believable performances . The Cinematography is also noteworthy as a delight to view though some of the hand held camera work is a little too shaky cam ( like that car scene in a quantum of solace ) in places , thankfully just a few seconds . There was just one aerial shot of a manor house that was poorly executed. The story takes a refreshing pace , editing wise . None of those hyper quick Hollywood Micheal Bay like cuts that give you a head ache , No this film takes a slower approach and rightly so , while not being too slow that it gets boring .

Practical special effects are good and the minimal use cgi was a great approach .

I highly recommend this movie ... It ticks the boxes of the horror genre without being terrifying . I can see me buying this on Blu-ray on release !

Interesting Micro budget movie.

[alistairc_2000 · 7/10 · 27 October 2018]

This just popped up at my local Cineworld cinema. Unannounced without the normal three months of previews that the Hollywood movies get. I watched the promo online and it looked interesting.

At the start we are treated to a battle between the British and the French. It is well executed and whilst watching this I did wonder if the title was going to be a cop out and this would be a war movie. The characters decide to move camp and at the start of one of the excursions find a fellow British soldier who warns them not to go into the forest. What wonders can await these five battle hardened soldiers?

What follows is a gut wrenching a brutal horror movie which is so refreshing after watching a lot of the tat Hollywood classes as horror these days. At all times the horror is visceral. It was the first horror movie in years that I had to watch through my fingers as it was so brutal.

The story starts slowly and builds to a climax. It is a master class on how to make an intelligent horror movie that credits the audience with powers of deduction. The back story is told in intriguing flashbacks which work well, the story is told in little snippets. Which are there to garner interest but which also present the viewer with more questions.

The cinematography is superb and allows the viewer to understand just how alone the characters are in a vast wilderness. Complemented by a superb score which adds to the dark brooding of the film.

I really believed in the characters who are well thought out. Each gets a back story so that they are just not there as cannon fodder. You care about these characters and want them to live throughout the film. You want them to live happy lives. Though will they.? Watch the movie and find out.

On a side note, if you do not like low-budget British horror you are going to hate it.

By way of a side note(part 2), I wish to say that I was at Wood Green cinema watching it when I saw this movie the only sound was that of people getting up and leaving.

June 2022 edit. I review lots of low-budget movies that I like. It is not often you get to see a British movie with such a low budget at the movies. So I was supporting it with my review. Not sure what all the hate is with the other reviewers.

not the usual stuff.

[tribaltrak-58262 · 5/10 · 20 November 2019]

It was mighty weird stuff, original story, said something about first installment in a new franchise. Will be interesting to see what becomes of it.

British Deserters Trying to Escape from Themselves

[Uriah43 · 3/10 · 30 May 2023]

This film begins after a fierce battle with five British soldiers learning that they are being deployed to another area where they will once again have to meet the brunt of Napoleon's army. Not at all pleased to hear this news, they quietly discuss the issue among themselves and decide to desert not long afterward. Realizing that they will have to elude both British and French patrols they subsequently choose a route that takes them through the mysterious Black Forest region in present-day Germany. What they don't realize, however, is that this decision will bring them face-to-face with something much more dangerous than any of them ever thought possible. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a difficult film to sit through mainly because of certain audio issues involved in its production. One minute the actors would be speaking in a soft tone and then suddenly loud music or sound effects would essentially drown out everything they were saying. Not that I could understand much of it due to their thick British accents. Throw in the repeated flashback technique used by the director (Stuart Brennan)--along with the extremely slow pace--and it's a wonder I sat through the entire film at all. Admittedly, there were a couple of good scenes here and there but, quite frankly, they were too few and far between--and I have rated this film accordingly. Below average.

Worst Film Ever!!!

[jeremy-clay59 · 1/10 · 23 November 2021]

I beg you...please do not watch this film. It's filmed on a potato, the script is brimming with cliches and the acting is terrible. If I had the money, I would buy up every copy and dump the lot in a landfill. Avoid at all costs.