No One Will Ever Separate Us.

This review contains spoilers. 

Directed and written by Sergio G. Sánchez (The Orphanage), The Secret of Marrowbone was a big hit in its native country of Spain. Despite being a Spanish film, the cast all speak English. George MacKay (Captain Fantastic), Anya-Taylor Joy (Split), Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things), Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness) and Kyle Soller (Anna Karenina) all star. "A young man and his three younger siblings, who have kept secret the death of their beloved mother in order to remain together, are plagued by a sinister presence in the sprawling manor in which they live". Can Spanish director Sergio G. Sánchez create a horror film that appeals to international audiences?

I had no expectations going into The Secret of Marrowbone; I had not seen any of the film's trailers. All I knew was that it was the latest horror release (not a very popular one at that) and starred Anya-Taylor Joy. I can't say I enjoyed watching this film, but I can at least acknowledge that it is a well-made one. For the most part, the film moves at a slow pace, has a weak script and is light on scares and tension. However, the cast delivers some quality performances and the secret itself is pretty surprising. There have been, and will be, superior horror films released this year; The Secret of Marrowbone is not a must-see, even for the biggest horror fan. 

The Secret of Marrowbone has some big flaws but one area where the film shines is its cinematography. Xavi Giménez does an excellent job. The production design feels even more lavish and sumptuous because of his work behind the camera. Giménez captures the beautiful scenery and landscapes of the film's shooting locations. The Secret of Marrowbone certainly feels like it takes place in the past and Giménez's cinematography enhances the already dated costume and production design. It's a shame Giménez is not accompanied by a more ambitious director as there would have been the opportunity for stylish, unique and inventive camera angles (a la James Wan in The Conjuring universe). 

This film may look beautiful, but its narrative and script pale in comparison. The script is ridden with cliche, banal and cringe-worthy lines. The monologues felt overly sentimental and meaningful; characters could be interacting ordinarily but sound like they are passionate and motivational because of Sánchez's script. This could be down to the language barrier and translation issues but Sánchez could have done with a co-writer to intervene with his melodramatic ways. Usually, meaningful scenes in horror films are let down by bad acting and one-dimensional scripts. The Secret of Marrowbone has the opposite problem, the script is too theatrical. An early scene between the four children after the death of their mother exemplifies this. 

Moving at a very slow pace, The Secret of Marrowbone drags at times. The middle chunk of the movie is very hard to get through. In retrospect, once the third act twist is revealed, the film's middle section is pointless. The Secret of Marrowbone has a very exciting but unhinged third act that's tone conflicts with the rest of the film. Although the sudden pump of energy was appreciated, it did come out of nowhere. The twist is good. The twist does not add up with the rest of the film. It is revealed that children's father is not actually a ghost that haunts the family, but is indeed alive and being held captive in the attic. Jack (MacKay) is revealed to be suffering from DID and his younger siblings died years ago. In some ways this works; Jack and his siblings are never seen together by anyone outside of the family. In other ways this twist makes no sense; the audience spends a whole sequence with Jane (Goth) as she is spooked by a Raccoon. Why would the director still include scenes with Jack's siblings (without his presence) if they have actually been dead this whole time? If Sánchez was to look back at his script, it would become apparent that a slew of scenes should be removed because they contradict the big reveal. The Secret of Marrowbone gets points for a truly shocking and thrilling twist, but also gets some taken away because it isn't exactly well thought out. 

Despite having pacing issues and a weak script, the cast does a lot of the heavy lifting to make The Secret of Marrowbone mostly watchable. This group of actors is within the same age range as the typical teen horror film. It was refreshing to see some genuinely impressive performances from a teen ensemble. George MacKay's character demands quite a bit from his performance and MacKay rises to the challenge. Although MacKay does over-act at times, he is generally very good. MacKay's portrayal of DID is not as wowing as James McAvoy in Split but it shows he has the potential to go very far. It takes a while for the audience to find out why Anya-Taylor Joy's Allie is in the film. Unfortunately, Joy is mostly wasted as her character does not get a chance to shine until the final act. Charlie Heaton and Mia Goth both have very small roles but give satisfying performances. I believed that these actors were all siblings; I sensed a strong bond. 

Sometimes a horror film can be worth a watch simply because it provides a scary yet fun couple of hours. The Secret of Marrowbone is never terrifying, but it does have some chilling, spooky and shocking moments. The film's scariest and best scene is when Jane is searching for the Raccoon in the floor voids and a mysterious hand strokes hers. I actually shouted out loud at this moment, it was that creepy. There are a few jump scares which I did not find that effective (but the friend I went with did). The Secret of Marrowbone needed more scenes like the Raccoon one and less talk about real estate. The film is not worth seeing for one incredibly impressive and effective scare. 

It now makes sense why The Secret of Marrowbone was not on mine, or anybody else's radar. It's half period drama and half horror film. Sánchez has not mastered the balance. Instead of this film being a slow-burn with drops of horror spread throughout, it is a dull two thirds with a sudden burst of excitement and terror in the final third. Luckily, the acting and cinematography redeem the film's many flaws. Sánchez's script is weak and his direction is not the most ambitious. The Secret of Marrowbone's 'secret' is shocking but also hollow. I'll let you in on a secret, there's not much to see here. 

59

/100

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