A Chilling Horror Pits Psychosis Against the Supernatural streaming

via Darkland distribution

Atmosphere has always been one of the most important elements in horror, even if it is slowly being forgotten as the focus shifts more and more to jump scares, gore and shocking twists and turns. However, in 2021 shepherd foams up so thick on the dread that it becomes almost impenetrable, resulting in an underrated gem.

Writer-director Russell Owen’s isolated nightmare didn’t grab many headlines or capture the imagination during its limited release, but it still has a good chance of becoming the latest under-the-radar cult favorite for those who enjoy buffing their scary stories offer helpings of both the psychotic and the supernatural. Make no mistake, however, the feeling of fluctuating anxiety will not go away.

Tom Hughes plays a contradictory widower who pulls himself out of confronting the death of his adulterous wife by taking a new job as a herder, stationed all alone on an island that immediately seems suspiciously threatening. In fact, his dizzying madness meets that of a terrifying ghost that is putting both his life and sanity in mortal danger.

With a 73 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, shepherd received widespread acclaim from critics, but until now it has failed to gain a foothold in the on-demand market. According to FlixPatrol, the haunting journey from grieving to ghastly has earned a top 10 spot on ViaPlay’s global watch list and comes highly recommended for anyone wanting a sustained kick from the recent “folk horror” boom that has kicked off a a bunch of instant favorites.