Before we started watching Lovely, Dark and Deep, my best friend and I debated what constitutes a Scream Queen. Because Georgina Campbell has now been in at least three popular horror films in the last two years (Barbarian, The Watchers and Lovely, Dark and Deep) and has knocked it out of the park each time. (Not to mention her work in Black Mirror and Bird Box: Barcelona). If that doesn’t qualify her as a Scream Queen, I’m not sure what else will. Georgina, you’re officially our Scream Queen.
Lovely, Dark and Deep (2023) is a horror movie Directed by Teresa Sutherland that follows Park Ranger Lennon (Georgina Campbell) who has taken a job as a backcountry ranger in Arvores National Park. In this park, many hikers as well as rangers have gone missing never to be seen again. Lennon, who once lost her sister in the same National Park, hopes to revisit this wilderness to find answers to what really happened years ago.
From the very beginning Lovely, Dark and Deep is shot beautifully. There are a few artsy things that the camera does that don’t tend to impress me as they feel unnecessary and overdone in horror movies like this, but apart from the upside down spooky tree shots, the scenery here is stunning and does well to add to the eerie atmosphere when things take a strange turn for Lennon. Especially during the later parts of the movie when things get very dark, this darkness doesn’t take away from what’s happening. Some horror movies tend to make things too dark to the point that you can’t even tell what’s going on, the darkness utilized here is very strategic and I thought it worked very well.
But really Lovely, Dark and Deep’s strength lies with Georgina Campbell. A good portion of the beginning of the film isn’t scary at all, instead focusing on the build up for the character. This could have easily been boring as someone who doesn’t love a slow burn, but Campbell’s acting is so phenomenal that I found myself interested from start to finish. In terms of story, things do get a little weird, not quite what I was expecting, but stays entertaining and honestly, the plot is not too dissimilar to this year’s The Watcher’s from Ishana Night Shyamalan which I also enjoyed.
Lovely, Dark and Deep is a really entertaining watch. It doesn’t do anything that is particularly exciting, but everything that it does do, is done well. And the horror elements that pop up during its short 1 hour and 27 minute run time, did enough to send shivers down my spine. Add in fantastic acting, interesting camera work, and a creepy soundtrack and you’ve got one of the better horror movies of last year.
Want to know the final verdict? I rate all the movies I watch, even those not covered here, over on my Letterboxd.
Theater 5, On the Left 
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