Movie Review: The Last Thing Mary Saw Is A Deep And Dark Thriller

January 17, 2021

Written by Kelli Marchman McNeely

Kelli Marchman McNeely is the owner of HorrorFuel.com. She is an Executive Producer of "13 Slays Till Christmas" which is out on Digital and DVD and now streaming on Tubi. She has several other films in the works. Kelli is an animal lover and a true horror addict since the age of 9 when she saw Friday the 13th. Email: horrorfuelinfo@gmail.com

Writer-director Edoardo Vitaletti makes his feature debut with the religious thriller The Last Thing Mary Saw, starring Stefanie Scott (Insidious: Chapter 3), Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan),  Rory Culkin (Scream 4), Shane Coffey (“Pretty Little Liars”), Carolyn McCormick (“Law & Order”). and Judith Roberts (Dead Silence).

 

Set in  Southold, New York, in 1843, Mary is interrogated about the death of her family and the events that led up to it. As she recounts her tale we watch it play out. The film begins when it is discovered that Mary is in possession of a forbidden book and her family’s discovery that she and their maid are in a forbidden love affair. The family, religious zealots, put the girls through torture in an attempt to break their bonds, instead, it leads to death for many.

 

Insidious 3 actress Stefanie Scott stars as Mary who, no matter how she tries, can not hide her love for  Eleanor, played by Isabelle Fuhrman. The two have a beautiful love, unfortunately, Mary’s family is beyond religious and the film is set in a time where such things are not only forbidden but worthy of a death sentence in some circles. Both Scott and Fuhrman did a beautiful job of projecting the two women’s love and their struggles and emoting the pain and torment they experience. 

 

While the film is beautifully done, it does have its issues. Any tension that is built fades before it can reach a high point due to the fact that everything in the film is so drawn out. It’s definitely a slow burn. One thing the movie does have is horror, the kind that only humans can inflict on each other, the horrors of what religion can do and cause, and the horrors of prejudice. All of which are far more frightening than some monster lurking in the dark, in my opinion.

 

The Last Thing Mary Saw left me with the distinct impression that we can expect great things from writer-director Edoardo Vitaletti in the future. He has a great eye and great talent. I understand what he was trying to do with this film (make a dark human piece about love and hate), I just wish that he had sped up the pace a little. But if you are a fan of slow-burn movies, this film is one you should add to your watch list. Luckily, you won’t have to wait long,  The Last Thing Mary Saw debuts on Shudder on January 20, 2022.

 

 

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