Thine Ears Shall Bleed is an homage to iconic religious horror films, and a movement beyond them. It is bewitching enough to keep viewers praying for more.
Director: Ben Bigelow
Genre: Horror, Religion
Run Time: 102′
US Release: July 9, 2024
UK Release: July 15, 2024
Where to watch: digital platforms
In his feature-length directorial debut, Ben Bigelow presents a slow-burn religious horror film with an original premise, stellar acting, and captivating cinematography. Thine Ears Shall Bleed is set in the 1860s, and follows Reverend Ezekiel Thatcher (Andrew Hovelson, of The Good Wife) and his family as they travel in a covered wagon across the American West.
When they stray off course, they encounter a strange faction of the woods filled with a sound they believe to be of God. They worship it, until they learn just how sinister the presence is.
This indie horror film is quaint at first, Ezekiel’s daughter Abigail (Lea Zawada) singing hymns with her mother Sarah (Hannah Cabell, of Law & Order). The Thatcher family’s conversation is filled with religious language; they make every moment holy, whether in prayer over meals or for spiritual protection before Abigail performs a so-called demonic card trick. Their intentions don’t change when they hear a mysterious sound in the woods and Ezekiel starts scribbling the words of God in his notebook.
Thine Ears Shall Bleed utilizes cinematography to make a select few locations versatile and haunting. The covered wagon, makeshift campsite, and woodsy landmarks that serve as the primary settings for the horrors that ensue are presented in stark detail, with carefully shot angles to aid in the unsettling feeling that slowly builds throughout the film’s 100 minutes.
Hovelson’s portrayal of Ezekiel as an ever-charismatic minister, intent on baptising every indication that his family may be in danger, is incredible. With ease, he captures the typical devotion of 19th-Century Christians, blurring the lines between religious paranoia and a demon-possessed hypnosis. While Hovelson’s performance is clearly exceptional, Zawada’s acting is more subtle; it’s one of those performances that shows Zawada’s potential as an actress and future scream queen. Through poignant line delivery and strong control, Zawada’s Abigail is a staple in the film and proof that she could be the next great horror actress among the likes of Maika Monroe (It Follows) and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch).
Thine Ears Shall Bleed carries elements of beloved religious horror films such as The Witch and Saint Maud. It asks questions of God’s will and morality: would he really tell a minister to put his family in harm’s way? Does faith allow space for doubt, or is blind obedience the truest sign of devotion? Would a good God carry out his will if it meant his followers suffered? Many of these questions break through the surface of horror films, which is one reason I find religious horror so compelling. Themes of faith and doubt, good and evil, and the capacity of mankind to be morally upright are often scarier than the supernatural forces at play—though in this film, they are equally frightening.
The ending of this horror film is, unfortunately, a little too drawn out. The twists preceding the end are good and unpredictable, but it seems the final moments could have been more concise, cutting a couple of scenes to emphasize the grim reveals. Nevertheless, that doesn’t necessarily hinder Thine Ears Shall Bleed from being a riveting and scary experience. The more viewers contemplate the film’s concept, and the tragic ways the woods impact each member of the Thatcher family, the more they’ll see how eerie it is.
Thine Ears Shall Bleed is both an homage to trailblazing religious horror films, and a movement beyond them into something original and haunting. The cast is impeccable, the cinematography sets a grim tone, and the story is tragic and bewitching enough to keep viewers praying for more.
Thine Ears Shall Bleed is now available to watch on digital platforms. Read our reviews of other recently released religious horror movies: Deliver Us, The Devil’s Bath, The Exorcism (2024), The Exorcist: Believer, The Last Rite, The Pope’s Exorcist, Prey for the Devil, and Skeletons in the Closet!
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