Five influencers (one of whom harbours a dark past ) head out to a remote manor in the Irish countryside. There, they awaken the bloodthirsty fallen angel, the Dearg-Due (Niamh Hogan ).
Following a gripping opening set several hundred years prior, the score unsettles even as the camera shows relatively innocent features of the land.
Conflict simmers between the characters from the get-go, making it a tense watch well before any monsters are drawn out – human or otherwise.
Amid the dread, there are brief moments to draw a breath, though they disappear as the plot develops and people start dying.
The film had its world premiere late Saturday night at the Galway Film Fleadh, followed by a Q&A session after with the team behind it.
The young cast (Grace Collender, Clinton Liberty, Daisy Jelley, Rhys Mannion, and Oskar Smith ) navigates ensemble dynamics well, carving out characters against each other.
Some of the writing is a little on the nose – it is unclear whether these shallow influencer characters are intended to be caricatures. But as soon as blood is shed, the dialogue becomes tighter and less try-hard.
Van Belle does not fall into the usual tropes employed when writing women in horror; his lead, Orla (played by Collender ), is complex and refreshing to watch. Other characters like the Dearg-Due and her descendants also avoid clichéd sexualization, though Nessa (Jelley ) the “influencer queen” never exactly breaks barriers.
While the film makes more than a few digs at online culture, it stops short of spelling out the idea that influencers are vampires — but the film’s double entendre title (social media feeds as well as vampires feeding ) hints at a position.
In writing the script, van Belle drew on the Waterford legend of the Dearg-Due as well as European myth, which suggests that some of the earliest traits ever associated with vampires are mind control and influence.
The film utilises this element to its utmost, incorporating a balance of psychological horror and hallucination as well as classic gore and jump scares. The effects were done practically where possible and the dedication to detail shows.
While some of the plot leaves a bit to be desired – more exploration of the power and history of the Dearg-Due would have been appreciated – the pacing is peak slasher and leaves you shaking off the dread well after the credits.
Overall an impressive effort on a low budget, with more than a few screams from the audience (though certainly not from this reviewer ). And one thing is clear: even if the Dearg Due isn’t a fallen angel, there’s certainly no redemption in social media.
4/5 stars
The film will be available digitally and on VOD on August 14.
