Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
In 1905, a man travels to a remote island in search of his missing sister who has been kidnapped by a mysterious religious cult.
Apostle is a visually arresting folk horror film from Gareth Evans (The Raid) that demonstrates his strong command of atmosphere and visceral imagery — the bleak Welsh island setting is rendered with genuine menace and a grimy, period-accurate authenticity that earns high marks for cinematography. The premise taps into folk horror traditions (The Wicker Man lineage) with some fresh supernatural mythology around a dying earth goddess, giving it moderate novelty. Dan Stevens and Michael Sheen deliver committed performances, though the supporting cast is uneven. The plot starts strong with slow-burn intrigue but loses coherence in its second half as it piles on increasingly frantic revelations. The ending devolves into prolonged, gory chaos that sacrifices the careful tension built earlier — it feels rushed and narratively unsatisfying despite its graphic ambition.