Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
An enigmatic vagrant cons himself into the home life of an arrogant upper-class family, turning their lives into a psychological nightmare in the process.
Borgman is a genuinely singular piece of European arthouse horror-thriller. Alex van Warmerdam's script is deliberately opaque and mythologically rich, resisting easy interpretation while maintaining an iron grip on dread. The performances, particularly Jan Bijvoet as the inscrutable Borgman, are unsettling and precise. The film's novelty is extremely high — it blends fable, folk horror, and social satire into something wholly unmistakable. The ending, while tonally consistent, feels slightly abrupt and may frustrate viewers looking for resolution, keeping it from full marks. Cinematography is competent and controlled but not especially distinguished.