10 Most Underrated Horror Movies Of 2019
4. The Nightingale
The Nightingale is one of the most miserable films I've seen this decade. It's been weeks since I saw it, and I'm still not sure whether that's a compliment or not.
At the heart of it, Jennifer Kent's long awaited follow up to The Babadook is a rape revenge film, and while that's been one of the more controversial sub-genres this decade, The Nightingale's difficult subject matter thankfully never feels too exploitative or gratuitous.
However, with exploitation thrown out the window there's a doubling down on bleakness. This is a film soundtracked by the horrific violence littering almost every scene. Where a baby's death is only the third worst thing you'll see. Where there's not even the catharsis of brutal revenge to look forward to.
The perfect date movie then.
It's not all nihilism for the sake of it though, and all of this horror is in service of a worthy point about Colonial violence and the sins of our forefathers being forgotten. Likewise, Kent interjects the kitchen-sink terror with dream sequences evocative of her previous film, and the underlying themes of motherhood connect both pieces.
Whether it achieves everything it sets out to accomplish is up for debate, but it's certainly effective.