Conscian Morgan’s Immure, which he directed from a script he co-wrote with Roffem Uzong, follows Eugene (Michael Hanratty), who, when the film opens, is fired from his position at a hospital for stealing a bag of blood. Trudging home with groceries, he runs into his neighbor, Mary (Natalie Oliver), who invites him out for a drink. But, while the sparks do fly, Eugene must decline. Why? Well, because his mother (Victoria Broom) is sick.
The second half takes a turn from romantic/family drama to full-on horror. Mary’s had enough abuse and bangs on Eugene’s door late at night until he lets her in. Now, Eugene has to protect Mary from both her abuser and his mom.
“…Eugene has to protect Mary from both her abuser and his mom.”
Immure is short, running right around 20 minutes, and it packs a surprising wallop in that brief timeframe. The ending — don’t worry, no spoilers — is sublimely brilliant and speaks volumes about who Eugene is, all without saying a word in the final few minutes. The visuals and acting shoulder the burden of conveying the emotions and do so splendidly.
Of course, that isn’t to imply the first half does not work either. Without all that set up the perfect ending would not work nearly as well. Morgan allows enough oddities to slip through the normal-seeming setting to keep viewers enticed, wondering what is wrong with Eugene’s mom. Of course, sharp audience members will guess the secret before it is revealed, but that does not make it or other twists any less effective. The lighting throughout is also quite great, adding immeasurably to the eerie atmosphere so carefully constructed through Pete Wallington’s stunning cinematography.
Immure is a tight, intense, well-acted creep fest. At 20-minutes long, it does not overstay its welcome, and the ending is jaw-droppingly perfect both in the story’s resolution and the execution thereof. Moreover, the film is available on YouTube via Alter, so there’s no reason not to watch it.
"…packs a surprising wallop..."
