The Surrender (2025)

User Review

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  ScreenZealots

  8 / 10

  Writer / director Julia Max’s minimalist horror film “The Surrender” is filled with haunting, unforgettable imagery and a spine-chilling story that work in tandem to create a genuinely terrifying atmosphere. The movie strips everything down to the basics, eschewing fancy gimmicks or excessive jump scares and relying on a simple, creepy story that builds tension and keeps you hooked with its foreboding dread.
  
  The story revolves around a mother (Kate Burton) and daughter (Colby Minifie) who are dealing with the death of the family patriarch (Vaughn Armstrong). Overwhelmed with grief and desperate to reverse the pain of losing her life partner, mom hires a mysterious stranger (Neil Sandilands) to bring her husband back from the dead. This leads to a bizarre and terrifying ritual that tests the limits of their relationship and forces them to confront their own demons as well as each other.
  
  The horror here isn’t just about the supernatural forces at play, as the story operates on a deeper level that involves trauma and unresolved tension between the two women. Yes, there’s plenty of blood and menacing evil spirits, but the film is one very long, cathartic exorcism of a familial relationship as well as a chilling horror story.
  
  The last half of the film is dedicated to performing the ritual (known here as the “surrender”), and Max successfully crafts an atmosphere that’s deeply unsettling. The tension is visceral and uncomfortable, amplifying the emotional strain between the two women as well as the supernatural horror that’s unfolding around them. I found this to be a legitimately scary movie.
  
  I’m not so sure Max nails the ending, though. I personally think it’s great, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the final act frustrated some audiences. The story isn’t tied up in a neat bow, but it’s beautifully filmed with a clear directorial vision. There’s a ton of imagery in this movie that’s unforgettable.
  
  “The Surrender “ strikes the perfect tone for the kind of meaningful horror it’s going for, and it ends up being a great mix of the supernatural and a deeply personal story about grief and family. This is a film for those who like their horror a little more emotional and a lot more atmospheric.
  
  By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS

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