10 Slow Burn Horror Movies With An Underwhelming Pay Off
5. Mandrake (2022)
Set in a small community in Northern Ireland, Mandrake sees probation officer Cathy (Deirdre Mullins) tasked with supervising notorious local criminal Mary (Debbie Crotty) after her release. The townsfolk, who've given her the nickname "Bloody Mary", believe she’s involved in witchcraft, and when two children go missing in the woods near her home, she becomes the prime suspect.
Cathy initially champions Mary’s innocence, but it’s not long before she discovers the rumours are true when she’s captured by the witch and forced to participate in a dark ritual. Things only worsen for Cathy when Mary takes her son with the intent to use him as her next sacrifice.
It looks like the stage is being set for a grand finale in which everything is about to come to a head. Frustratingly, though, this final plot beat doesn’t go anywhere. The kidnapping is thwarted almost immediately, and the credits roll soon after.
What’s more disappointing than being robbed of the climax is Mandrake simply doesn’t go far enough with its themes of motherhood and mob mentality. When both these women’s stories end, this Shudder horror doesn’t have much to say and consequently fails to leave much of an impact.