Official synopsis: After the tragic loss of his son, Nicholas (Logan Donovan) struggles with his grief and a strained relationship with his wife Charlie (Aleksa Palladino). Under the watch of psychiatrist Dr. Beaumont (Robert Longstreet), Nicholas begins experiencing terrifying visions of a shadowy figure that looks like himself. As reality unravels, Nicholas must confront his past and the supernatural force haunting him before it consumes him completely.
Many horror films deal with grief, but few do so as impressively as director J.C. Doler’s The Twin (AKA The Fetch). He balances the horror and heartache masterfully, delivering a highly recommended, dread-filled feature.
The three leads all give marvelous performances, with Donovan and Palladino portraying the parents of a child lost in a tragic accident in their own ways. Donovan has much of the load to carry as he plays the father who is going through mental health issues while being further tormented by a fetch, a demon from Irish folklore. Longstreet gives a fantastic performance as a psychiatrist who has his own reason to grieve, portraying him as somewhat of an eccentric extrovert without ever taking his performance into scenery-chewing territory.
The set design of the family home where Nicholas both grew up and lost his son adds to the gothic horror feel that the film boasts, as Nicholas’s painting studio and the childhood book that Dr. Beaumont feels still haunts him.
The drama on display is undeniable and winningly performed and directed. The screenplay from Doler and cowriter Paul Petersen plays with fear-fare tropes and expectations while delivering a unique take on them. My only quibble with The Twin is its occasional use of loud-noise jump scares, which I felt a film of its tone doesn’t need.
The Twin is a horror film that recalls classic gothic ghost story movies of the 1960s and 1970s but that feels fresh at the same time. Strong drama makes for strong fright fare cinema, and Doler has crafted a film that makes good on both elements.
The Twin, from Vertical, was released on July 1, 2025.
