Film Review: Fréwaka
Director: Aislinn Clarke
Genre: Horror, Folk
Format: Streaming
Purchase Link: Available on Shudder
Fréwaka is a dream-like folktale about Shoo, a personal care worker who is sent to a small town in Ireland to care for an aging woman named Peig. Peig has delusions, dementia, and is recovering from a recent stroke. But all is not what it seems, as Peig disappeared on her wedding night many decades ago and now bears deeply etched scars on her back. She follows strange superstitions and is terrified of going outside. Shoo is, at first, dedicated to making sure Peig eats, takes her medication, and bathes. But Shoo’s own past – her mother’s recent suicide and her childhood abuse – soon catches up to her, and she realizes she and Peig are far more connected than they seem.
This was such an interesting movie. It’s one that makes you sit back and think long after it’s over, trying to put all the pieces together. The characters converse almost completely in the Irish language, an astute choice, given the atmosphere Clarke deftly builds, which is hollow, mystical, and surreal. The film’s title means “roots” in English, and it uses Irish folktales to build on its theme regarding intergenerational trauma and how it can be impossible to shake, like roots that dig deeper and stretch further than are possible to see.
This movie felt vaguely Ari Aster-ish, primarily due to the folkloric pieces, mythology, outstanding orchestral score (which really amped the creep factor up), and the angles and cinematography, which reveal images quickly, briefly, and with purpose. A palpable sense of dread builds throughout its 100-minute run time. We are handed many elements of a good folk-horror movie: a creepy, quiet small town cut off from the rest of the world, an unexplained supernatural presence, a recent and heavily weighted trauma for the main character, and an overall sense of strangeness.
There are only two minor issues with the film: a) there is a lot of waiting and b) there is a lot of not-knowing. The audience must have patience and dedication to sit through them. I found myself wanting it to move along at times, but the slow pace fits well with the overall tone and helps build dread. It also makes the movie unbearably heavy considering the subject matter and presentation. The not-knowing comes from not having the details of the folklore explained. It worked for what the director was trying to do, although it was sometimes confusing and took me a while to catch up. I can’t suggest doing it differently, though – explaining everything would’ve ruined the tone.
Fréwaka is as surreal as Suspiria, haunting and uncomfortable as Midsommar, and similar in tone and theme to Rosemary’s Baby. I loved the blend it brought to the stage, as well as the uniqueness of the language choice, setting, and mythology. It made for a good watch. 3.5/5.
Review By Chelsea Catherine
Website
