A show of strength from the revamped Hammer studios, this retelling of The Monkey’s Paw myth manages to conjure comparisons to Don’t Look Now without looking desperately inferior, which is achievement enough in itself.
Arriving in the titular village (where Timothy Spall’s Arthur rules the roost), bereaved parents Louise (Eva Birthistle) and Patrick (Aidan Gillen) are told: “Make another child to love.” But is there a more sinister solution that will allow them to bring their happiness back to life?
Creepy enough to get in your bones and convincing enough to stay there, David Keating’s film juxtaposes the grim minutiae of death with the ravages of grief.
The biggest surprise is not that it’s hair-raising, but that it’s heart-rending too.
