Review of Heartless

The title, not referring to a cruel or sadistic person, but rather the birthmark of Jamie (the protagonist) around his eye which is shaped like a heart and when he makes a Faustian deal with Papa B., the Devil, his birthmark vanishes, or at least that's what he thinks. Finding this film was a case of serendipity. I got lost on YouTube and I eventually landed on this trailer because of the menacing thumbnail. I downloaded it on the spot and woah! I liked it.

First of all, this is a British horror film and British horror, apart from American & Australian, has never failed to make a big, or at least good, impression on me. I liked the quite-dark tone of this film and Jamie Morgan is probably the most realistic and human character I've seen in a horror movie. I liked Jim Sturgess's performance and pretty much held the film on his shoulders. He is definitely an actor to keep an eye out for and in the supporting, everyone gave decent performances, most especially by Eddie Marsan as The Weapons Man and Joseph Mawke as Papa B. and also Timothy Spall as George Morgan, Jamie's father, in a brief screentime.

The horror tone, like I said, was good but somewhere along the way it loses it touch but gets it back again by the time it ends. Speaking of which, the ending is very Sixth Sense like where the viewer and the protagonist is left surprised to the point of being cheated. All in all, Heartless is a must watch because it has a distinct emotional and a human feel to it which you've probably never seen in any other horror films of the late. Heartless is also quite unique and one should watch it in order to experience that and believe me, you will love it!

8.0/10