Matt Martin’s cinematography throughout The Matriarch makes the house a character in its own right. There are so many nooks and crannies that he fits the camera into; it is impressive. The stark lighting, ranging from raging red to bloodcurdling blue, creates a twisted and eerie visual palette. Composer Michael Drew uses the music to keep all watching off balance, further cementing the spine-chilling effects of the narrative. On a technical level, this is a masterpiece rivaled only by the unnerving plot the film tells.
Juliette Greenfield as Missy, lurking in the shadows with a broom handle, preparing to defend herself in Jayden Creighton’s harrowing horror debut The Matriarch.
“…Greenfield [gives an] authentically honest performance.”
Part of what makes it all so involving is Greenfield’s authentically honest performance. This is her first motion picture, and she is a godsend. The actor conveys how tortured the character is inside as she spits out lies, though she doesn’t want to. When her hands get crushed by a window, Greenfield is so good that it could well be that the production actually crushed her hands. Obviously, they did not, but she sells it so hard that it seems real. Logan is horrifying in every scene, vacillating between almost maternal and murderous rage with terrifying ease. Her screaming about how Trent was good for her is even scarier than the multiple attempted murders of her daughter because it reveals a soul so broken that it is beyond repair. Sparnon appears briefly, but he is skeevy and unnerving in all the right (or is it wrong) ways. Riley Channells plays Officer Schaffer, who overcomes any stereotypes and plays the part very cunningly.
The Matriarch is one of the best horror films of the year. This isn’t a debut for Jayden Creighton; it is a grand entrance, exclaiming him as the best new voice in horror since James Wan first hit the scene all those years ago. The movie is so good that it will please gorehounds, thanks to liberal bloodletting, as well as those more interested in the cerebral scares from parable horror titles like Lights Out. Check this out; you will not be disappointed.
"…one of the best horror films of the year."
