CARRY THE DARKNESS (U.S., 2025)
Official synopsis
The film is inspired by the true-crime tragedy of the West Memphis Three. When misunderstood metalhead Travis Baldwin is blamed for a string of gruesome atrocities, paranoia spreads in his small town as a malevolent entity emerges. Blending the surreal unease of Twin Peaks with the investigative dread of The X-Files, the film explores the devastating cost of moral panic—and the monsters it creates.
Review
Writer/director Douglas Forrester brings the 1990s and the dangers of those who bought too much into the satanic panic of that decade and the 1980s to vivid cinematic life in Carry the Darkness. He has assembled a strong cast, led by Joel Meyers as high school outcast Travis Baldwin, whose love of metal music and being framed for a crime he didn’t commit has led him to be the suspect of a murder. Aided by his best friend Jordan (Jaden Gant) and new student Stacey Wagner (Helen Laser), Travis attempts to make sense of some seemingly supernatural occurrences that he experienced in a remote location. Detective Jillian Carter (Hollis Fox) — The X-Files influence is obviously strong with this character — the only officer of the law willing to not immediately pin the murder on Travis, has a strong suspicion that something otherworldly indeed might be afoot.
Carry the Darkness is a suspenseful chiller that marvelously captures a time when conspiracy theories about diabolical influences led to innocent people being targeted for crimes of which they were innocent. Forrester does a fine job of balancing those prejudices with a paranormal angle. Boasting an engrossing plot, characters and direction, along with solid production values and engaging performances, Carry the Darkness comes strongly recommended.
LENORE (U.S./Australia, 2026)
Official synopsis
When a controversial influencer suddenly disappears, a terminally online sycophant goes hunting for answers, but comes face-to-face with the monstrosity of his own sins.
Review
Director David Ward uses themes from the works of Edgar Allan Poe and combines them with elements of modern issues regarding the dangers of internet isolation and idol worship in Lenore. Nicholas Jaquinot is chillingly terrific as Max Wren, a highly strung obsessed fan of button-pushing influencer Lenore (Ruby Duncan, who also gives an excellent performance) who is attempting to put together a documentary about her after she suddenly goes missing. Reality is a fragile thing for people like Max, and the more his obsession grows, the more paranoid about real-life people he becomes — perhaps for good reason when it comes to fellow Lenore stan Sam (Sam Macdonald in another strong performance).
Ward, who cowrote the screenplay with Josie Hess, plunges viewers into Max’s unnerving life and keeps us trapped in his tech-filled basement with him for most of the film’s running time. The eeriness is palpable, including the dark atmosphere lit only by screens showing scenes from Lenore’s lives both online and highly personal. The small space grows even more claustrophobic when Sam and, later, two police officers (Caithlin O’Loghlen and Scott Macknezie, both delivering super performances) interrupt his self-professed “filmmaker” work.
Lenore is a taut, gripping horror film that addresses the dangers of online stalking. Cinematographer Shaun Herbertson captures the proceedings marvelously, with Ward’s editing sending matters further into the realm of the mind boggling. Aficionados of technological terror, psychological horror, and creepy characters studies should place Lenore on their must-see lists.
Carry the Darkness and Lenore and screened at Romford Horror Festival, which took place February 19–22 in Romford, U.K.
