The Wretched
A rebellious teenage boy, Ben, visiting his father for the summer makes a haunting discovery -- A malevolent fiend from the deep woods stalks the young family living next door. Taking ahold of the mother, the creature begins playing a terrifying game of house while preying upon the local children. Alone in his suspicions, Ben launches into a perilous crusade to stop the wretched evil before it consumes everything he holds dear. A defiant teenage boy, struggling with his parent's imminent divorce, faces off with a thousand year-old witch, who is living beneath the skin of and posing as the woman next door.
About the Director/Writer:
The Pierce Brothers broke into the world of horror with their rom-zom-com cult hit Deadheads in 2011 and followed it up with the hilarious companion short film Smush! A Deadheads Short. The Pierce Brothers filmmaker roots we're born out of growing up amid the production of the original Evil Dead of which their father served as the photographic FX artist. The Wretched is their new foray into horror folklore and recently premiered to rave reviews at the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal followed by Frightfest in London.
Cast & Crew:
Director: Brett Pierce, Drew Pierce
Screenwriters: Brett Pierce, Drew Pierce
Cast: John-Paul Howard, Piper Curda, Jamison Jones, Azie Tesfai, Zarah Mahler, Kevin Bigley, Blane Crockarell, Gabriela Quezada Bloomgarden, Richard Ellis, Amy Waller
Producers: Chang Tseng, Ed Polgardy
Executive Producers: Leman Porter, Lenore Porter, Willis King
Cinematographer: Conor Murphy
Editor: Terry Yates
Composer: Devin Burrows
Film info:
Section: Late Night Competition
Premiere: Arizona Premiere
Year: 2019
Length: 95 minutes
Language: English
Country: USA
Previous Festivals:
Fantasia 2019 (Canada), Toronto After Dark Film Festival (Canada), Frightfest (UK), Screenfest (Hollywood), Monsterfest Melbourne (Australia)
Reviews:
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
“It’s the creature that’s the biggest draw in this fun horror movie, and the witch is worth the price of admission alone.”
- Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
“The Wretched is an absolute blast. Come for the summer fun, stay for the body-inhabiting, baby-munching witch...you’ll appreciate the film’s original lore, its crafty contorting villain, and an utterly perfect final shot.”
- Kimberley Elizabeth, Nightmare on Film Street
"Offers a more serious brand of horror, going right back to the roots of the genre’s family tree. The orchestral suspense of Devin Burrows’ score, the incredible creature effects, the constant sense of peril and a very well-handled twist mark the film as absolutely top-notch terror – but it is the buried subtext that, once unearthed, makes The Wretched truly unforgettable.”
- Anton Bitel, Projected Figures