From Black (2023) Sheds Light on Truths of Grief, Addiction, and Loss
Title: From Black
First Non-Festival Release: March 15, 2023 (Digital/Streaming Platforms)
Director: Thomas Marchese
Writer: Jessub Flower, Thomas Marchese
Runtime: 100 Minutes
Starring: Anna Camp, John Ales, Jennifer Lafleur
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
If you felt personally responsible for the death of someone you loved, what would you do to make it right? Sometimes all anyone needs is for the void in their soul to fill even just a bit. For some, the hunger is even greater.
Still reeling from the death of her son, Cora (Anna Camp) is trying to move on but running into roadblock after roadblock. With promises of atoning for her sins, as well as answers for what really happened with his disappearance, she strikes a deal with Abel (John Ales), a man from her support group, to perform a ritual that could solve all her problems. He neglects to mention what the true price she will have to pay for this.
Familiar grief horror From Black unsettles with haunting imagery while clashing against devastatingly slow pacing.
Setting the scene, Cora stammers out a cry for help to a 911 operator and it isn’t long until she is taken in and identified as Sergeant Bray’s (Jennifer Lafleur) sister. From there, Cora explains to her sister what happened with flashbacks that detail each agonizing moment of her ordeal with the demon she was tricked into summoning. This interrogation framing does well for keeping the mystery of how exactly Cora came to be so roughed up, but From Black ensures that the supernatural terror doesn’t stop there.
Balancing addiction, parenthood, and grief, From Black mixes together these ingredients of horror to make a statement on the dark places people can go after experiencing something that breaks them. Cora’s journey is one marked with unabated pain and heartache, which mirrors the real-life experiences of addiction and loss. She is reminded of the death of her son every moment on screen, and even if she could forget, no one else would allow that. The suffocating and encompassing nature of this feeling radiates from the film. It’s impossible to not feel the shame, frustration, and rage Cora feels thanks to Anna Camp’s vulnerable performance.
Uneven performances prevent From Black from being taken too seriously and threaten the overall success of the chiller. Camp takes the material seriously while stacking the film squarely on her shoulders. The supporting cast, however, is more hit or miss when it comes to their performances. Some like John Ales add depth and urgency while some like Jennifer Lafleur play flatter. Despite playing a concerned sister who happens to be a police officer, most of Lafleur’s facial expressions make it seem like nothing is amiss, which is odd to say the least. It doesn’t get too egregious to take the viewer out of the film, but it does knock it down a few pegs as the horror diminishes significantly without that consistent intensity.
Strong imagery from the unsettling rituals and the resulting entity propels From Black from a rather average supernatural affair to a more engaging horror. The ritual itself borrows heavily from certain horror films before it, but the demonic imagery and aftereffects are quite engaging. Its main antagonist, the shadowy demon that preys on mortal’s desire for expiation, is designed in an ethereal manner. He lurks in and manipulates the darkness while still holding a very imposing corporeal form that makes it hard to predict his moves. Throughout From Black, Cora endures a barrage of terrifying ordeals, one of which involves a beautifully executed spout of forced levitation that is as unnerving as it is gravity-defying. There’s something special about an indie film that manages to deliver a similar scare experience to an average Hollywood affair.
A competently crafted supernatural horror drama, From Black doesn’t do much that you haven’t already seen. From its characters to its plot to even its story structure, From Black is familiar but that doesn’t mean it is bad. Its overuse of genre tropes is outweighed by its strong imagery and commitment to humanizing recovery. Camp’s performance delivers too, making for an engrossing watch. Shudder’s reputation for dark little gems means that you better pay close attention and not let From Black get left in the shadows of the streaming service.
Overall Score? 6/10
