The Devil’s Bath: A Descent into Darkness

As I sat through Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s latest film, The Devil’s Bath, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. It’s not just the graphic content that makes this film unsettling, but the way it lingers in your mind long after the credits roll. The film is based on real events from the 17th and 18th centuries, and the bleak, muddy Austrian landscape serves as a perfect backdrop for the cruel and superstitious community that inhabits it.

A desolate landscape that reflects the harsh realities of the community

The story follows Agnes, a fragile and innocent young woman who receives a severed finger as a good-luck charm on her wedding day. This act sets the tone for the rest of the film, which is a slow-burning descent into darkness. Agnes’s husband, Wolf, is awkward and uninterested in her, and his mother is a stern, judgmental figure who regards Agnes with suspicion.

A gruesome gift that sets the tone for the rest of the film

Franz and Fiala are masters of tone, weaving an elegantly grim mood that permeates every scene. The film’s use of gray, overgrown, and swampy terrain creates a sense of spiritual limbo, where the characters are trapped in a world of superstition and fear.

A world of spiritual limbo

At the heart of the film is Agnes, played by Anja Plaschg, who brings a sense of melancholy to the role. Her character’s growing anxiety in the face of judgment and expectation is palpable, and her pain is almost unbearable to watch.

A captivating enigma

The Devil’s Bath is a deeply unsettling film that will linger in your mind long after you’ve finished watching it. It’s a slow-burning, existential horror that brings to mind the works of Robert Eggers and Lars von Trier. While it may not be an easy watch, it’s a film that will stay with you, haunting your thoughts and emotions.

A haunting film that will stay with you