She Will (2021) User Reviews

At least it's sort of the kind of thing we want from horror.

[GiraffeDoor · 5/10 · 3 November 2022]

Off putting title. But what else could it have been called? Twelve Sisters?

On paper this sounds pretty cool. The themes and the concept have a lot of potential. I must say, stylistically I have sort of always wanted to watch this kind of movie ever since I was a youth. You know, that kind of movie filled with distinctive imagery, in which it feels more like a very long music video and only grudgingly takes a break from that so it can get back to the script.

The problem with this movie is pretty simple. Everything about it is de trop. Every element of it on the micro and macro level is just kind of excessive. By all means, really go for it in terms of cinematic panache but like I said, execution is important and this movie does not walk that fine line between chilling and goofy. It fell off a long time ago.

I want to like the story that its telling. A story of womanhood, of two characters separated by so much finding a sense of sorority, of identifying with past people but it's poorly thought through.

I get that she's an ageing former movie idol, groomed to be a masculine person's vision of feminine beauty but has now outstayed her welcome. Beginning the movie with a double mastectomy is a symbolism we can all get.

That's the other problem: while nearly every moment in its script or its visualization is a bit too much, the one exception is the most important thing: the story. I feel like I don't really know this woman. I have guessed that she's some kind of famous actor that's now going through a dark place but that's all informed attributes. They leave stuff to the imagination only when it's stuff that might have fleshed out this walking cliche, this modern Baby Jane.

Maybe it's my fault for assuming this movie was a horror movie and not simply a piece of nuanced emotional storytelling but they do not hold their cards to their chest and let the mysteriousness build. It's more Harry Potter than Silent Hill. The dialogue and actions of the people around all fit so neatly into the prescribed themes (you know, misogyny) that this film felt over all quite mechanical.

They just did not invest in the elements that would have made this an enriching emotional journey.

At one point a character remarks "creepy" which no horror character should ever do. I was almost glad someone challenged her but I was not rooting against her.

Throughout watching this movie I kept thinking of the pretty swell Post-Rock group "Maybeshewill".

a creepy revenge thriller

[ferguson-6 · 6/10 · 12 July 2022]

Greetings again from the darkness. Coming from the IFC Midnight stable, this first feature film from writer-director Charlotte Colbert and co-writer Kitty Percy, may be judged as a thriller or horror, depending on one's perspective. By creating an ominous atmosphere, the movie highlights how certain events can grab hold and remain with us, often buried deeply, for our entire life. We don't always know how these memories will manifest or how or when we deal with them, but if the scars remain, a reckoning likely follows.

Alice Krige is perfectly cast as Veronica, an aging movie star. She's coming off a double mastectomy and is expressing more than a touch of grumpiness towards her much younger nurse Desi, played well by relative newcomer Kota Eberhardt. Veronica has booked an extended stay for rehabilitation at an isolated countryside manor, and though she and Desi have a private cabin on the grounds, Veronica is quite miffed that there are other guests in the main house ... with odd therapy sessions led by Tirador (played by an almost unrecognizable Rupert Everett).

Almost immediately, strange things begin to occur and much of it is related to the earth and ground. The mud seems to have supernatural effects on Veronica's visions and dreams. This is explained as healing power due to the heavy presence of ashes from witches burned at the stake many years prior. The memories of a traumatic event return to Veronica. She was a child actor in a film by the legendary Hathbourne (the always great Malcolm McDowell), and now he is re-casting for a remake of that film. So as Veronica faces her perceived loss of femininity at the edge of scalpel, she's also dealing with fears of aging as the same filmmaker recreates a project she is now too old for.

Symbolism is entrenched in the film, and the approach to Veronica's revenge on Hathbourne is handled through mysticism that can't easily be explained ... though it's a welcome new approach to the #metoo movement. One of my favorite aspects of the film is how the initial gulf between Veronica and Desi gradually changes as the two generations of women bond over their strength. Italian 'Master of Horror' Dario Argento is a producer on the film, and though we don't know what input he had, it's quite a compliment to Ms. Colbert to state her debut film deserves to be mentioned alongside his.

Simple, slow and vague evil men prepackage

[kuarinofu · 4/10 · 30 July 2022]

'She Will' does the basic revenge plot in the evil men setting that is popular these days.

It was only 95 minutes, with around 30 of those just being beautiful nature shots with good music, yet it still felt like slow motion finalized by an abrupt ending.

Only Krige's character was significant, with everyone else just being vague plot devices. There was barely any character essence besides purely evil men and a couple of victims to show how bad all men are.

I enjoyed the cinematography, the music, and some themes of harmony with nature. If not for Krige, this would've been a disaster since she was able to handle those vague thematic sequences.

The film had nothing else to offer: no character deep dives, barely any dialogue, and thus - no emotional connection.

All that matters is those evil men get what they deserve. Everything else (the more interesting parts) doesn't really matter. Why cultivate the relationship between the two heroines, add variety to the film, and create a ground for discussion and emotional engagement? We don't need that. Why not write a good story? I'd love to invest emotionally into a revenge story. They had grounds for an interesting dive into the lead's psyche but did nothing with that.

I don't think I can recommend this film since it never goes beyond prepackaged stereotypes. The tags are also messy: comedy, drama, horror? There was indeed no comedy and no horror.

Beautifully BORING

[oceans200 · 3/10 · 16 July 2022]

First off, I must say that the cinematography is absolutely stunning and the acting was great. What made the film worth watching however, was Clint Mansell's score. A masterpiece.

There's basically no real dialogue in the film. It's 98% imagery, i didn't mind at first, but halfway through it became so redundant and exhausting to watch a film with no conversations. This uber-Indie, "i'm so alternative" avant-garde nonsense became unspeakably annoying. The whole film is just a collection of vivid dreams and paranoias, with one or two words thrown in.

Also, easily one of the most abrupt, "what just happened here?" kind of endings.

I only finished watching it because i loved the music. I'm quite disappointed. I really wanted to love it, but it was 100% just beautifully boring.

My recommendation? Skip the movie and just listen to the soundtrack.

Left Me Wanting More

[bettinagh-51115 · 6/10 · 17 April 2023]

I'm an old lady. I teethed on Brecht, MacLeish and Albee. I came of age on the smoky balconies of 'foreign film' theaters. My husband declares, "if it's weird, you'll watch it." Little annoys me more than watching a film by a director who gets in the way of their own art - like She Wills.

The film has a very good folk horror story, finely crafted performances and an intriguing point of view, but it's thin on characterization and director Colbert's repetitively obscure ( almost navel gazing) storytelling style often leaves the audience in the cold.

Like most people, I either like a film or I don't. I can't recall ever seeing a film that left me longing to be engaged.

She Will... Have No Plot

[oz_13_was_taken · 2/10 · 26 July 2022]

This dull movie fails to deliver any chills or any story, really. We get to see the main character wander into the woods during dream sequences that grow tired by the third time we see them. All this leads to an ending that dives into overly-artsy fartsy territory. Not worth the time.

Disjointed but thought-provoking

[benjaminskylerhill · 6/10 · 24 July 2022]

The difficulty in writing and directing such a metaphorical, artful story such as this is that it becomes very easy to veer into pretentious and inaccessible territory.

There are times in She Will when this does happen, and the logical rules of the story and the feelings of the characters are often unclear. But thankfully, the film never stays in this territory for too long.

What keeps this tale investing is the quiet, mysterious performances, the odd yet entrancing visual effects/cinematography, and the satisfying pace at which the curtain is pulled back and the audience gets answers to their questions.

At times the metaphors are too heavy-handed to the point that it's a disservice to the characters, but most of the time it was refreshing to see subtle nuances in a movie like this that has a clear feminist message.

Certainly this isn't a film for everyone, but for those who like thought-provoking art, there's quite a bit of good to be found here.

Boredom, Misandry, Mud, Trees, Dreams and Witches

[panagiotis1993 · 3/10 · 12 November 2022]

Wow this was one sad and boring film, couldnt wait for it to be over. While the performances are good, there isnt much of a plot. The build up (lets call it build up because there isnt one) leads to nothing and the ending is tasteless. The movie is super slow and it focuses on symbolism and trying very hard to look ''deep'' and ''artistic''. Id prefer a solid plot over this ''artistic'' trash anytime. The movie deals with things like how it is to get older, sick and forgotten. Also it is about revenge which is not wise. I expected that by the end of the film Veronica (the main character) would face her demons and be wiser, instead she is obsessed with revenge and she uses some sort of dream-witchcraft? To get her revenge. We get no explanation about why this place is haunted or cursed or whatever it is. I guess the explanation is... well a lot of witches died there so now even the mud has supernatural abilities.

Also the movie has messages about the evil ''patriarchy'' and makes all the men in the movie look dumb, selfish, violent etc which is sad, and all the women look like decent human beings, even the witches that people burned alive. But we see the same thing happening in most movies these days. Men are selfish, evil, scary or dumb right? By the end of the movie Veronica seems to be able to deal with the look of her body after getting a mastectomy, which is good but also we see her being happy and satisfied about a man losing his life, like her mission is now complete, this is evil and bitter, this is... witchcraft. Also get ready to watch many scenes... in the woods, i hope you like woods.

I would call this movie ''artsy drama'', there is nothing horror about it. There is nothing creepy and the atmosphere, pacing, tone and music will make you fall asleep. Something good about the film is that i enjoyed most of the music being used. This is definitely a forgettable movie, it adds nothing to the horror genre, well its not really horror, its just a drama film about an old bitter lady and her many many issues.

With Dario Argento ''The Master of Horror'' involved i expected more people to have seen this movie. Conclusion is that the reviewers that give this movie more than 5/10 are insane, skip this movie. It's 3.5/10 from me.

the Borg Queen meets Alex the Droog

[lee_eisenberg · 6/10 · 23 May 2023]

I knew pretty much nothing about Charlotte Colbert's "She Will" when I started watching it, making it more interesting. This story of a faded actress who seeks treatment in a facility located on the former site of burning women accused of witchcraft has some intense scenes. The intensity is mostly found in the actress's disturbing memories. In that sense, I guess that the movie's saying that the worst horrors are the real ones.

While not anything great, this movie is more interesting than movies where people walk into rooms to get butchered. On top of that, it gives us some great shots of the Scottish countryside. Worth seeing for that, if nothing else.

Poor

[igreenshields · 2/10 · 30 October 2022]

I am not sure what this film is trying to do but it fails miserably. Script is terrible, overall story is disjointed and doesn't have any real substance. Some of the acing is questionable too - not great casting! I have to admit that I don't turn films off and I didn't with this one but I have to admit to being very close. However stuck it out until the end and it didn't get any better!! Without any spoilers - I am guessing the premise of the film is that the lead is trying to overcome her surgery but also tackle earlier issues in her life and her visit to the Highlands helps her when she feels an association with the land there. However it fails to deliver and leaves you wishing something would happen but it doesn't! One to avoid I would say.

simple, interesting story...well told

[isaacmizrahii · 8/10 · 28 August 2022]

As usual, a lot of the reviews here will tell more about the reviewers than they will about the movie...'slow...boring...all about evil men...seen this (too) many times in the last few years'.

It is slow if you want freddy kruger or jason. But it's not that kind of horror movie...in fact, i recently mentioned in a letter to a friend that there should be a 'supernatural' category, rather than 'horror' because that would warn the zombie lovers that it's not that kind of movie and save them the frustration of watching and me the frustration of reading their usual type of review... it's mostly a visually stimulating movie...producing just the right mood for the story which seems only to be brought out in a few places...but, for me, it was very satisfying...a feast for the eyes.

Krige, as usual, does well in this film...as do all the other players whom, mostly, seem peripheral to the small story at the core.

Not horror as much as supernatural and not for the red bull guzzling kids.

Arty horror

[delilahsamson-30372 · 6/10 · 4 August 2022]

To be fair, I only watched this for Alice Krieg and her wonderful hair. Thought provoking, subtle horror. Reminded me of a beautiful Enya video. Very cinematic, ambiguous and vague. Featuring sublime Malcolm Mcdowell, blink and you'll miss him Rupert Everett.

Arthouse folk psychological horror is code for boring pretentious claptrap.

[stevelivesey67 · 2/10 · 24 July 2022]

They've gone for slow burn, creepy, witch infested, revenge horror and come out with pretentious, boring, wokefest were men who roll their eyes at the mention of the patriarchy have their hands burst into flame.

It's drivel, a waste of any filmgoers time but probably a must for young film students.

Unfortunately what a waste of fortune!

[bader-sharaf94 · 1/10 · 27 July 2022]

I was exited at the beginning then suddenly, everything gets boring. I tried to keep up with the movie yet, it was very difficult to keep up since there's no actual story and everything is simply messed up. I literally regret every penny I've spent on my ticket!

She Will

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 17 November 2022]

The first film directed by Charlotte Colbert, who co-wrote the script with Kitty Percy, She Will has Alice Krige as film star Veronica Ghent, who is recovering from a double mastectomy at what she believes is an exclusive retreat with her nurse Desi Hatoum (Kota Eberhardt).

Years ago, when Veronica was just a child, she appeared in the movie that defined her life, Navajo Frontier for director Eric Hathbourne (Malcolm McDowell), who is planning on remaking that film and using another 13-year-old girl despite the innuendo that he had a relationship with Veronica all those years ago. As for any mention of her in the media, every story is about "look how old she is."

Later the first night, a black mud pours from the bath and into Veronica, showing her memories of being assaulted by the director as well as the witches whose ashes made that substance. Years ago, at a place called Nighean's Wall, three thousand women were burnt for the crime of being women. Or witches. Or you know, it's kind of one and the same.

Desi lives her own nightmare, as the owner of the retreat drugs her and assaults her in the woods, but she's saved by the darkness that is now inside her patient. In sleep, Veronica's spirit appears to Hathbourne who refuses to be blamed for what happened. After all, he made her a star. He swings a bottle at her as she falls into ash, his lunge taking him off the balcony in what can only appear to the world at large to be a suicide.

She Will isn't like so many movies out there today, filled with herky jerky ghost scenes, voyages home to be possessed and endings that fall apart. It's slow in the best ways, methodical and has a definite destination. What a debut for Colbert.

I am baffled by how bad this is

[sarapay · 1/10 · 29 July 2022]

The cast and crew seem utterly bewildered and unable to preform under such GSCE level writing and directing. The narrative desperately fumbles around in the forest searching for its purpose with only painful results for the audience.

I'm bewildered by how bad this was. Rented it and was 100% in for giving it a chance. It was like being beat over the head with an invisible hammer. I can tell they're trying to make a point.. but I just don't feel it.

Contemplative film of paranoia

[jmbovan-47-160173 · 7/10 · 7 November 2022]

Contemplative film of paranoia expertly led by Alice Krige and Kota Eberhardt. Upon illness and surgery, the famous actress (Krige) seeks isolation in a retreat. Upon arriving, the site is occupied by some group (cult?) seemingly led by a figure, comic but serious, and their actions seem innocuous, but the film casts doubt in mysterious scenes. The actress starts dreaming or hallucinating with aspects of these falling into reality. Upon further plotting, there is backstory that suggests some unspoken act that is beginning to be heard, with the actress at the center. The director Charlotte Colbert keeps the presentation just vague enough through the surrealistic elements and scenes so that when the denouement arrives, the story feels complete inside the film with progression afterward possible for the characters. The subtle elements as well allow for the resolution without a hammer strike.

Garbage...

[zmmqbccg · 1/10 · 18 July 2022]

If only I had all the thumbs in the world to show how much I loathe this "film". I wish films could just be fun again without pandering to whatever political, ideological soup du jour is currently on menu. Gets old and makes movies incredibly tedious and self-aggrandizing.

"She Will": A Haunting Meditation on Trauma and the Feminine Spirit

[marshall-stanton · 7/10 · 9 February 2024]

Charlotte Colbert's directorial debut, "She Will," is a visually arresting and emotionally potent exploration of feminine trauma and its lingering power. Alice Krige stars as Veronica Ghent, an aging actress wrestling with the aftermath of surgery and the fading grip on a youthful image once central to her stardom. Seeking convalescence in the Scottish Highlands with her young caretaker Desi (Kota Eberhardt), Veronica soon confronts the dark energies bound to the land's tragic past.

The film truly excels in its cinematography. Landscapes take on a near-mythic quality, echoing Veronica's own wounded internal state. Krige's performance is utterly captivating-a masterclass in portraying simmering resentment, quiet vulnerability, and an eventual resurgence of power born from pain. This stands in intentional contrast to Eberhardt's Desi, a symbol of youthful vitality and an initially dissonant note in Veronica's self-imposed world of isolation.

While "She Will" stumbles somewhat in maintaining a consistent tone as it shifts between introspective character study and revenge fantasy, it nonetheless carries a strong thematic depth. The film boldly investigates how society exploits female pain-both past and present. Its use of mysticism and subtle horror elements offers a unique angle for unpacking themes of vengeance and female power.

"She Will" may not be a traditional horror film, but it possesses a haunting undercurrent. Visually rich and anchored by a powerhouse performance from Alice Krige, it's a thought-provoking film with more impact lingering beneath the surface.

Yes the acting was great and yes the filming was strong but really? this movie was dreadful

[Neptune165 · 2/10 · 20 October 2022]

The beautiful set design, cinematography, and subtle acting is not enough to save this meandering revenge tale that is never as creepy as it sets out to be. The grand reveal is interesting, despite being a bit expected; and what's funny about that is that the story almost goes out of its way to be obtuse and it was still quite predictable. This isn't to say every movie must keep me on the edge of my seat or have me guessing, it's just that without that intrigue this movie amounts to very little besides its beautiful imagery. It's a witch tale that could have been fascinating, but it does so little with its intriguing premise that it feels wasteful and almost arrogant. Gave it try for about half of the movie, then I just completely lost interest. Nothing scary about it, the build it never happened and I could not take it anymore. Sorry, don't t recommend this movie at all.

A film that understands witchcraft

[alexfiles · 8/10 · 23 August 2022]

People will say this is anti-man, or anti-patriarchy, but I don't think that's the main goal. It's more anti-denying your own trauma, and this trauma involved a man.

"She Will" also gets the will that is at the heart of witchcraft and similar occult traditions.

An excellent debut film.

Different & Simple

[avindugunasinghe · 6/10 · 19 November 2022]

A touching story that visits a frequent subject with an imaginative approach .Great performances by the two lead actresses. Usage and arrangement of visuals and the special effects were the keys for the success of this story. There were characters in background that weren't really introduced to play an actual part for the story and that generated some sense of incompleteness. However emotional story and genuine performances make it a very reasonable watch. Story's social commentary on injustice is provocative and excellent. And the story being based around trauma reveals how wildest retreats are needed for some long unhealed cuts and bruises.

Insufferable

[Victor_Fallon · 2/10 · 20 September 2022]

Pretentious twaddle about arthouse witches who mumble their way through a gender studies essay in lieu of a script.

The acting is somehow hammy and lifeless at the same time. Dialogue is overwritten and contorted beyond human recognition. Character development is absent. Themes are trite and cliche. Sound design is terrible (I had to mute the first ten minutes and watch subtitles due to the constant overloud drone of a train). Cinematography is stagey and oversaturated.

The costumes are nice. That's about it. It comes off like a smug theatre director having a go at making a horror movie because they think it'll be easy money. Judging by the fawning mainstream reviews I've read, it kinda worked.

I hope the director gets over herself and aims for entertainment rather than chin-rubs with her next project. If you liked the Suspiria remake, you might like this. It's the same kind of try-hard claptrap, only more boring.

spooky arthouse

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 27 January 2023]

Aging movie star Veronica Ghent (Alice Krige) travels to an isolated retreat in Scotland with her nurse Desi (Kota Eberhardt). She's recovering from mastectomy, but it's more her hiding from the world. She is still haunted by her relationship with actor Eric Hathbourne (Malcolm McDowell) when she was starting out as a child actor. She is shocked to find the retreat filled with a new-age group. The local water is supposedly infused with the ashes of burnt witches from long ago.

I like the visuals and the set-up. I was hoping for more from the creepy new age group. Veronica should be infected sooner and start killing sooner. The kills would culminate with Eric and maybe Desi would be the one stopping her. This is more arthouse than horror and that is fine. Although it's not for everyone.

Student art film maybe

[Leofwine_draca · 2/10 · 7 October 2022]

This was a truly awful movie and one that was difficult to watch due to the style. I've heard people raving about the visuals but they did nothing for me and look like something a student might have produced for an art project. Worse, they mean nothing either. The story is about a woman recovering from surgery in Scotland and there's some very vague backdrop about witchcraft, but most of it is just tedious in the extreme and scenes like the carer going on a drug trip smack of padding. A pity to see Alice Krige reduced to this, alongside an unrecognisable Rupert Everett and a pointless Malcolm McDowell.