10 Great Horror Movies You Definitely Missed In 2023
3. Sanctuary
Zachary Wigon's Sanctuary follows unfulfilled Hal (Christopher Abbot), who tries to end his romantic and working relationship with his dominatrix, Rebecca (Margaret Qualley). Long story short... it doesn't go well.
On paper, Sanctuary sounds like an erotic thriller. In reality, it plays out more like a psychological chess match. It keeps viewers guessing, since it's hard to tell who's manipulating who. It's established early on that Hal gets off when he's humiliated, so it's uncertain who's in charge of the situation, making every scene tense and unpredictable.
Sanctuary is proof that a horror movie doesn't need to be big and fancy to draw in the audience. In fact, the minimalism works in the story's favour here and the tiny ensemble makes it easy to focus on the two leads' dilemma. The entire film takes place in one hotel room, making every scene feel intimate and claustrophobic.
Both Qualley and Abbot are surprisingly funny, adding a lot of levity to the most heated of moments. This humour intensifies the horror elements, since the scares can kick in at any moment, even during comedic scenarios.