While it may not sustain the tension and fear throughout, The Vigil is an engaging and distinctive take on the classic ghost story that deserves your full attention. The Vigil arrives in cinemas nationwide on July 31st.
Catholicism and Christianity have long held court in supernatural horror, from The Exorcist to The Omen and The Conjuring. So it feels only fitting that a range of other belief structures is now challenging this dominance; therefore, The Vigil starts from an interesting premise, with Judaism sitting centre stage. Writer/director Keith Thomas takes classic supernatural horror and explores the themes from a Jewish perspective as the streets of Brooklyn’s Borough Park take centre stage.
The Vigil is rooted within the Jewish tradition of someone sitting with the body of a recently deceased community member before their burial. The person is called a ‘shomer.’ Their responsibilities include reading from the ‘Tehillim’ until the dead person is ready for burial. This act helps calm the spirit as it leaves the body, ensuring it travels the right path.
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Yakov (Dave Davis) opted to leave the Orthodox Jewish community following a personal tragedy, his life a mix of post-traumatic stress and financial pressure as he attempts to rebuild his sense of belonging. Following a group support meeting for people in a similar position, Yakov is asked to conduct a Vigil for a recently departed man, with his former Rabbi insisting this is a one-off request because the agreed Shomer has disappeared. Reluctantly, Yakov agrees, but as he steps into the house, he has no idea of the terrors awaiting him as he faces his demons and an ancient sleeping evil.
Keith Thomas’ debut film slowly builds its tension, the dimly lit streets of Borough Park echoing the eerie residential silence of The Exorcist. Here, Thomas plunges his audience into classic supernatural terror while exploring supernatural themes from a different religious angle. It is, therefore, a pity that The Vigil shifts from a ghost story to mainstream horror in its final act, jettisoning much of the nerve-shredding fear built up during the opening two acts.
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However, despite the weak conclusion, there is much to admire in The Vigil, from Zach Kuperstein’s cinematography to Dave Davis’ beautiful portrait of Yakov, a man desperately trying to move on but equally trapped. While it may not sustain the tension and fear throughout, The Vigil is an engaging and distinctive take on the classic ghost story that deserves your full attention.
Director: Keith Thomas
Cast: Dave Davis, Menashe Lustig, Malky Goldman, Lynn Cohen
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