Common Sense Media Review
By Tom Cassidy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gory revenge horror has scares, child deaths, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
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The Cursed
What's the Story?
In THE CURSED, the family of a 19th-century baron pay a deadly price for his murderous land grab when a curse unleashes a beast that stalks them at night.
Is It Any Good?
Blending folklore with gruesome gore, this American-French horror gets lots of things right. The Cursed isn't for the squeamish -- a man has his hands and feet hacked off and left on a cross as a scarecrow, drawing children to him in their dreams. And that's one of the milder moments of violence. Rather than being exploitative though it's all in the name of creepy fun. The movie's standout moments are visual choices. The mercenary attack on the Romani camp that kicks off the curse is brilliantly shot. Rather than get up close to the action, the entire scene plays out from far away, observing the murder and destruction in a single long take. It feels both a throwback to 1970s filmmaking and entirely fresh for today.
Another throwback that stands out is the movie's use of practical effects. A late rejig of the movie saw it renamed and, more importantly, some substandard CGI removed to focus on the deliciously icky and sticky gruesome in-camera effects that recall John Carpenter's The Thing. The movie dips a little after the beast is revealed and it meanders to its conclusion. But with strong characters and refreshingly unsettling horror violence, The Cursed is a fun chiller.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in The Cursed. Did the blood and gore seem over the top? Did the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? Was it shocking or thrilling? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Did you find the movie scary? If so, in what way? What's the appeal of scary movies?
How were the Romani people treated in the movie? What do you know of Romani culture? Did the film manage to avoid any stereotypes sometimes associated with Romani people? Why is it important to be careful of stereotyping people?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 18, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : May 10, 2022
- Cast : Boyd Holbrook , Kelly Reilly , Alistair Petrie
- Director : Sean Ellis
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : LD Entertainment
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Run time : 113 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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