What can possibly be more terrifying than aging, being put in a home against your will. What gets worse than that though, when no one believes the terrors surrounding you are in fact real, and not just the sickness they’re telling you you’re sick with. The Manor tells this exact story with an excellent performance and some truly creepy discoveries.
The film focuses on Judith played by Barbara Hershey as she is reluctantly put in a historic retirement home by her daughter, even against her grandson, Josh played by Nicholas Alexander, wishes. When she is in the home, she seems to settle in relatively well making friends with Roland played by Bruce Davison, Ruth played by Fran Bennett, and Imogen played by Cissy Wellman. Judith is reluctant to make the home work, but wants to make sure that she doesn’t stir the pot, that is until everything turns into chaos. Judith starts to suspect that something supernatural is killing the residents, and there is a creature lurking around, a creature who wants certain resident’s dead.
What makes The Manor work well is the suspense and terror that is brought throughout the film from the mysterious circumstances and the incredible performance from Barbara Hershey. Barbara Hershey absolutely delivers on her performance, making the audience truly feel for this character as she’s been forced into a situation she doesn’t want to be in and is now being tormented by demons it seems. Her ability to terrify the audience is truly remarkable. As well the supernatural elements and cinematography truly shine throughout the film, hypnotizing the audience to become part of this world.
The Manor takes some unusual turns and twists, while praying on the most vulnerable making its storytelling a little uneasy. While the performance from Barbara Hershey delivers, and captivates the audience, the twist does not command the same reaction throughout the film and thusly makes it fall short.
