This The Empty Man review contains minor spoilers…
The Empty Man is written and directed by David Prior, and is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Callum Bunn and Vanesa R. Del Rey. A supernatural horror film with dark psychological themes, The Empty Man has become something of a cult classic among horror fans since its VOD release. But opinions on it weren’t always so positive. So, I decided to find out for myself.
The film went through quite a rocky theatrical release that led to significant doubts in its prospects by distributor, 20th Century Studios. As a result, it received only minimal marketing that all but sealed its fate as a box office failure. Couple that with a p*ss poor trailer and a generic name, and it’s no surprise the film failed in theatres. Seriously, did anyone think this was anything other than another ‘urban legend come true’ flick like Slender Man and The Bye Bye Man?
Ultimately, however, The Empty Man trumps both of those films. Not only is it incredibly creepy and unnerving, but it takes an overdone horror concept and does something new. The Empty Man takes you on a dark journey that is, at times, positively perplexing and triumphs thanks to an unshakeably sinister tone.
The Empty Man Review – Plot
Prologue
The Empty Man is best thought of as two separate films. One, an intriguing twenty minute horror short introducing the titular “Empty Man”, and the other, a two hour in-depth study of its wider context.
The twenty minute prologue is really effective. Set in 1995, it follows four friends, Greg, Fiona, Ruthie and Paul on a hiking trip in Bhutan. While trekking up a mountain, Paul hears an odd whistling calling his name and follows it, causing him to fall into a deep crevice. What the friends find down there is both entrancing and terrifying. Needless to say, things take a dark but thrilling turn from here.
If you’ve ever seen a horror short film and thought “I’d love to see more of that”, that’s what The Empty Man gives you here. It works so well, in fact, that a low-key viral release of the first twenty minutes would’ve achieved so much more than that unfair trailer.
Story
Fast forward to 2018 and the film shifts focus to grieving ex-cop James Lasombra (James Badge Dale), the protagonist. He’s friends with a local woman, Nora (Marin Ireland), and her daughter, Amanda (Sasha Frolova), who goes missing under mysterious circumstances. When she leaves only one deliberate clue, a message in blood reading “The Empty Man made me do it”, James sets out to find her.
From here, the film follows James as he utilises the skills he learnt as a detective to find out what’s really going on. The Empty Man is a slow build, and just when you think you have it figured out, it repeatedly twists in alternate directions. Sometimes, its revelations can be deflating. But mostly, they’re thrilling. The Empty Man maintains its mystery throughout its 137-minute runtime. And, thanks to the cult element it introduces in the second act, it achieves an unexpected level of genre-blending complexity.
Some may reach the end credits and wonder what exactly they’ve just watched. I know I did. But it works. And it left me with an uneasy feeling that echoed the film’s messed-up psychological horror premise.
The Empty Man Review – Scares and Effects
In this day and age, jump scares and clever horror effects are the norm. Many mainstream horror films place significantly more emphasis on them than in building a truly unsettling tone. For me, the latter is considerably more effective at creating a film that is acutely terrifying. Just look at Hereditary and compare it with The Nun, for example.
Admittedly, The Empty Man is let down slightly by a few instances of underwhelming jump scares, unnecessary graphic violence and not-great CGI. But, in the end, David Prior succeeds in creating that deeply creepy atmosphere, owing to his well rounded screenplay, strong performances from its actors, and the disturbing musical score.
The Empty Man Review – Verdict
The Empty Man is both a pleasant and unsettling surprise. I think almost every viewer who saw it prior to its VOD release went into it expecting a movie similar to Slender Man. And that might explain the ropey audience test scores. They just weren’t prepared for what they got. But if you go into it ready for a mentally taxing and psychologically complex journey, you’ll undoubtedly find something to like in The Empty Man. Even if it has its so-so parts.
As a horror film, The Empty Man succeeds where many others have failed. And its new cult status proves that it has clearly stuck with people long-since the end credits rolled. If you’re after a unique and thought-provoking twist on a tired horror trope, The Empty Man won’t let you down and is definitely worth of your watchlist.
Overall Rating: 8/10
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