Prior to the coronavirus lockdown, studio Blumhouse (Get Out; Halloween) scored a massive hit with The Invisible Man. Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale) led the gripping and claustrophobic update of the classic H.G. Wells story, as a woman suspects she is being stalked incognito by her abusive ex-husband. And Blumhouse's fondness for high-concept chills looks set to continue in the first trailer for The Vigil.
Centering on Jewish tradition, The Vigil is the creepy-looking story of a young man named Yakov (Dave Davis), whose Hasidic faith has lapsed. When Yakov is asked to participate in a traditional shomer ceremony, whereby he watches over the body of a recently deceased individual, things take a menacing turn.
You can chalk up the usual peeking-around-the-darkened-corridor shots and demonic hands clawing at surfaces. Yet at the same time, the emphasis on faith would appear to give The Vigil a more intriguing edge than most. Blumhouse has carved out a niche with its love of hot-button horror – Jordan Peele's Get Out, for instance, took swipes at liberal racism, fusing Guess Who's Coming to Dinner with Invasion of the Body Snatchers to Oscar-winning effect.
It remains to be seen if The Vigil will have anything like that sort of impact. Nevertheless, with its setting, characters and themes, all orchestrated by director Keith Thomas, we can surely hope for an atmospheric chiller that will also leave us pondering its deeper meanings. Check out the trailer below.
The Vigil is scheduled for release on 31st July. Let us know @Cineworld if it looks up your street.
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