A gripping Irish thriller featuring stars from Derry Girls and Happy Valley has arrived on Netflix. The horror film, helmed by Jon Wright, originally premiered in 2022 and holds a 67% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Cast and Plot
The cast includes Happy Valley star Hannah John-Kamen, The Sandman actor Douglas Booth, Game of Thrones' Kristian Nairn, and Derry Girls favourite Jamie-Lee O'Donnell. According to the synopsis: 'Married couple Maya and Jamie escape their urban nightmare to the tranquility of rural Ireland only to discover malevolent and murderous goblins lurking in the gnarled, ancient wood at the foot of their new garden.'
Critical Reception
Unwelcome is an Irish folk horror that has garnered mixed to positive feedback from critics. Set across London and Ireland, the movie delivers plenty of shocking twists and turns. Numerous horror enthusiasts flocked to Rotten Tomatoes to voice their opinions, with one branding it 'excellent' while another urged viewers to '100% recommend' the film.
One viewer shared: 'Went in blind after it was suggested that I do so. Was fantastic, actually gripping at points. A weird mix of serious and absolute nonsense carnage. Loved it.' Another agreed: 'This is great! Not your Gremlins or Critters silly creature feature. This one's got some bite. Loved the ending. Really well done!'
A third added: 'Absolutely underrated awesome folk horror Irish Straw Dogs, awesome horror thriller with an awesomely bloody ending. And the production quality was very nice.' Another praised it as the best horror film of the year, saying: 'Hands down, one of the best horror flicks of 2023. Horror is my favorite genre and this movie stands out as a top for me now.'
One more teased: 'Seriously underrated film. A little dark, a little twisted, a lot hilarious. I didn't know what to expect as I hadn't seen a trailer or read anything about it but what I got was a home invasion with a twist.'
Comparisons to Classic Films
Several viewers drew comparisons to David Bowie's 1986 classic Labyrinth, with one posting: 'Took me right back to practical effects classics like Labyrinth, but with much more violence and gore. It's basically the same story, but in Ireland, and with blood. 100% recommend!' Another concurred: 'Far more effective than I expected, Unwelcome succeeds at bringing the old ways to life on screen with a terrifying twist on home invasion tropes. The human actors really deliver complex, realistic and layered characters. The monsters are best seen with the kind of grace one would give the creatures in classic films like David Bowie's Labyrinth.'
Not everybody was won over, however. One viewer wrote: 'Really inconsistent storyline and somewhat ridiculous supernatural elements that are at times (I think) unintentionally comical, but it's just so bizarre that it keeps your attention regardless.' Another complained: 'Bit too cold for something so goofy, doesn't lean into the camp...' A third remarked: 'An odd film which swaps between boring and silly with its relatively straightforward plot of Irish folklore.'
Unwelcome is streaming now on Netflix.
