‘The Dreadful’ Review: Sophie Turner & Kit Harington Mount a Medieval Horror

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During a key scene in Natasha Kermani’s Gothic horror film, The Dreadful—a story of curses and murder—I was struck by how similar it was to a medieval, scary version of The Mask. For those familiar with the Japanese horror film Onibaba, which shares a similar Buddhist story as The Dreadful, you’ll understand the connection. However, The Dreadful lacks the wild energy of The Mask and doesn’t achieve the same deeply unsettling atmosphere as Onibaba. Ultimately, it’s a fairly average historical horror movie with a confusing and unremarkable plot.

In 15th-century England, Anne and her mother-in-law, Morwen, struggle to survive in a remote cottage while Anne’s husband, Seamus, is away fighting in the Wars of the Roses. When a childhood friend, Jago, arrives with news of Seamus’ death, a heartbroken Morwen convinces Anne to join her in robbing and murdering travelers. As they steal what they need to survive, Anne finds herself increasingly drawn to Jago. However, their actions draw the attention of a terrifying, ghostly knight on a white horse who roams the countryside, brutally attacking anyone he encounters.


Lionsgate

The film feels like it’s trying to be a classic British folk horror story, similar to films like Witchfinder General and The Wicker Man, or even more recent ones like A Field in England. It hints at those influences with its creepy atmosphere – a rundown cottage, a foggy landscape, and a sense of being cut off from the world – suggesting that isolation can lead to insanity. However, it doesn’t fully commit to the genre, failing to stand out or deliver on its established conventions. While there’s potential beneath the surface of its jump scares and violent scenes, The Dreadful struggles to connect these elements to a larger point, like a commentary on violence against women during wartime, or even just the frustration of a man disrupting a pair of villainous women.


Lionsgate

The movie relies heavily on dream sequences – there are at least two, possibly four – for its scares. While the director clearly knows how to create tension and fear, as demonstrated in her 2020 film Lucky, the frequent use of jump scares within dreams loses its impact. After seeing someone wake up from a frightening dream once, the audience becomes less and less affected by subsequent similar scenes.

Let me tell you, the best part of this performance is watching Harden just go for it. She’s genuinely unsettling at times – I’m talking full-on howling at another character while covered in what looks like blood! She completely commits to the old-fashioned country accent they’re aiming for, and she’s fantastic at portraying a fiercely protective woman, glaring down anyone who gets between her and her daughter-in-law, who seems to be in on everything. It’s definitely a bit over-the-top, but honestly? It totally works!


Lionsgate

The rest of the film relies mostly on creating a mood, which can work well in genres like Gothic or folk horror where feeling scared is more important than realism. However, here it feels like a way to avoid truly developing the story. The movie doesn’t clearly explain why it’s retelling the story of Onibaba or why it’s set in 15th century England. The Dreadful doesn’t seem to understand what makes its story genuinely frightening, and it focuses too much on delivering predictable scares instead of offering any deeper meaning. The actors try, but Julianne Harden isn’t convincing as an old witch, and the chemistry between Gemma Turner and Kit Harington as romantic leads feels forced—they didn’t seem to believe in their characters’ connection either, with Turner herself describing their kiss scenes as unpleasant.

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Despite its flaws, this isn’t a terrible story, but it does become repetitive. It repeatedly emphasizes the hardships faced by women, especially during wartime, and portrays men and older women as untrustworthy. A simple rule applies: if you see a ghost, stay away. The story starts out clear, but relies too much on atmosphere and frightening imagery for scares, and doesn’t offer much new insight. It’s not bad, exactly, but it doesn’t quite deliver on its potential. The core idea is interesting, but the execution feels incomplete – like a campfire story cut short, or a potion missing a crucial ingredient.

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2026-02-20 00:38