Ragmork: Written Review

Ragmork

Written Review

Hi everyone and welcome to MyIndie Review Vlog, the show that gives you spoiler-free reviews of indie films. My name is Asaf Angel from MyIndie Productions.

Today I’ll be reviewing 2019’s horror feature, Ragmork. Written and directed by Eric Widing, and starring MyIndie featured artist, U.S. indie filmmaker and actor Tim Novotny, who was also responsible for the film’s original score.

Thank you, Eric, for sharing your film with us.

Victor Graves, a young man portrayed by Novotny, is heavily burdened by a troubled past. He returns to his secluded and abandoned family home in Rural Ohio, where he isolates himself completely.

We learn a little bit about Victor’s perspective as a character, while he pays a visit to an old neighbour and family friend, Walt, played by Geoff Burkman. The two men share their take on the world, each from his own experience, both are reciprocating while sharing similar notions on society and life in general.

Victor also nurtures an online relationship with a young woman Regina, played by Erin R. Ryan, whom he supposedly had a romantic involvement with and is somewhat comforted by her company. Once arriving at the family home, Regina seems to be his only remaining emotional connection to the city and the world he arrived from.

Following an attack by what seems to be a strange, potentially deranged man, Victor begins to experience recurring nerve-wracking sounds and sightings, which really put his sanity to the test.

Armed with what appears to be a 12-gauge shotgun, coupled with hard liqueur (always a good combination), Victor aims to ride-out these nasty encounters with whomever, or whatever it is that harasses him.

Beautifully shot in Black and White, Widing, who also helms as Director of Photography, gives us a slow-burn story, almost completely led by its eerie atmosphere, as we experience what burdens Victor with the same dread and uncertainty as he does.

It strongly feels that Victor is submerged in melancholy from the moment he is introduced. Lost in his own pain, trying to find his way back to the world. Tim Novotny’s mostly restrained performance, perfectly delivers the pace and draws us into the world of the story.

Eric wisely built this story in a minimalistic cinematic fashion, harnessing our imagination and creating tension by using mostly what we can’t see in frame, all the while sharing Victor’s point of view.

Aside for the admirable and captivating performances by Tim, Geoff, Erin and other performers involved, Eric uses contrasted noir lighting and rich, eerie sound elements to deliver his vision.

I believe the only issue I had with the film, has to do with some lengthy horror sequences, which felt to have had a confusing structure at times, meaning they played out in a way that was unclear, regarding how they helped the progression of the story.

Having said that, the film as a whole slowly and surely crawls under your skin, and does an excellent job in delivering a subtext-packed horror tale that will likely echo in your head long after the credits roll.

Ragmork gets an 8/10 on the Look At Me, I’m A Film Critic scale!
The film is available on DVD, Blu-ray and via online streaming. Links included.

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Until next time, keep supporting indie film. Watch, share, spread the word, my name is Asaf Angel, I thank you for tuning in to MyIndie Review Vlog. I’ll see you next Thursday!