There's something uniquely compelling about foreign-language horror films, how they blend culturally specific fears with those that are universally terrifying. In The Vile, an Arabic-language first for me, Emirati filmmaker Majid Al Ansari drives the audience to the edge of their seat from the very first scene and doesn't let go for the rest of the film.
Mother and daughter Amani (Bdoor Mohammad) and Noor (Iman Tarik) enjoy an afternoon of fun in suburban Abu Dhabi while waiting for husband and father Khalid (Jasem Alkharraz) to return home. Joy turns to horror in the blink of an eye when Khalid arrives with a pregnant second wife, both without the consent nor knowledge of Amani.
As Amani's sense of betrayal deepens, she becomes increasingly alienated in her own home and begins to suspect that something far more sinister flutters behind the seemingly innocent eyes of second wife Zahra (Sarah Taibah). Try as she might, her efforts to reach out to Noor fail as the teen, struggling with schoolyard bullying, finds solace in the younger wife's company.
Viscerally unsettling and deeply uncomfortable, The Vile is an intense reflection on gender and power, and the demons we let into our lives with our insatiable appetites for more.
A self-proclaimed "huge horror fan" Majid Al Ansari's passion for the genre is evident throughout this feature. Casting his eye on polygamy, which remains a cultural norm in the UAE, Al Ansari asks what happens when consent is removed from the equation and what monsters does this betrayal manifest?
The Vile rises on the strength of Bdoor Mohammad and Iman Tarik’s performances. There is one scene in particular, with Mohammad slowly turning her head to look backwards over her shoulder, which continues to haunt me long after the credits rolled.
With top marks for scares, acting and themes, it's the execution that trips The Vile up. For a film that so successfully blends psychological and paranormal horror, the resolution seemed a little heavy-handed, undermining the subtle tension built throughout. Nevertheless, it's a terrifying, thought-provoking and powerful film.
★★★★☆
Following the World Premiere Screening at Fantastic Fest tonight, The Vile will enjoy a second screening at the Alamo Drafthouse on Wednesday 24 September before heading off to the BFI London Film Festival in October.
