Some movies are well worth watching, but if we believe them, the countryside is a menacing place and not a place for rest, relaxation, and scenic country walks. Blood cults, murderous locals, and dark supernatural forces are just a few of the things that won’t be advertised in tourist guides but over the years many filmmakers have warned us about such dangers within the movies they have given us. Matriarch is one such movie. ..
Laura moves back to her childhood home to live with her estranged mother, Celia. Soon after moving in, Laura begins to notice strange behavior from the locals and her mother becomes increasingly deranged. Laura must find out what is happening before it’s too late. ..
So, what is going on? Well, Laura and her mom don’t have a very happy relationship. And Laura’s dead father is largely to blame for the events that take place in the village. ..
I’m not going to tell you what the movie is about, but I can tell you that it’s a horror movie that’s best avoided if you’re afraid of worms or body horror.
This movie is not for the squeamish or the scared. If you’re looking for something to watch while you cook dinner or take a bath, this might not be the best choice. However, if you’re looking for something that will make you feel uneasy but won’t leave you feeling scared, then this is definitely the movie for you!
This movie is strange, but it’s also unpredictable. If you’re looking for something that borders on the bizarre, you’ll love it more than most. This village is full of strange happenings, so you’re guaranteed at least a few surprises if you stick with it until the end. I don’t want to give away too much here, but when I tell you that a scene involving a woman feeding a church congregation black goo from her breasts isn’t the most disturbing sight in the movie, you’ll know that this isn’t a movie that can ever be classified as “predictable.”
The movie is memorable for its creepy atmosphere and dark imagery, but it fails to be scary and doesn’t have a satisfying story. ..
The movie leaves many questions unanswered about the mother-daughter relationship at the heart of its story. We don’t know what happened between them and why it was so bad that Laura decided to live away from her mom for so long. We know she suffered abuse that was verbal rather than physical, but we don’t know what did her mom say to her that was so hurtful? And why did Laura have to hide from her mom when she was younger?
Despite the acting from both Rooper and Dickie being exemplary, we are not told a great deal about either character. The acting appears to be less accomplished elsewhere although this may be a little harsh as some of the side characters are thinly written, with dialogue that is far less meaty than that given to the two leads. As the actors playing the villagers are also required to do little more than look odd and coldly distant, it’s hardly surprising that their acting might appear to be wooden, even though it perhaps isn’t.
The matriarch of a small, strange family is streaming on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK. If you’re looking for something that can be considered “weird,” this is worth a watch. There are far better horror movies out there, including Ben Wheatley’s excellent In the Earth, but this isn’t the worst the genre has to offer. It’s flat in places and the story sometimes drags, but when you find out what sits at the bottom of Celia’s greenhouse, you may be glad that you decided to give this squirmy wormy horror tale a go!
