Nocebo

A sinister mystery is at play in Lorcan Finnegan’s (Vivarium) Nocebo when Diana (Chai Fonacier) arrives on the doorstep of fashion designer Christine’s (Eva Green) lavish townhouse one day to offer her services. Christine, who’s been suffering from an illness after a traumatic incident (which may or not be psychosomatic) cannot remember hiring her, but Diana seems to know about her and her family, so she must be telling the truth. The new housekeeper uses traditional medicine to cure Christine of her symptoms over the proceeding days to miraculous effect, however she has ulterior motives for taking this job.

Finnegan’s latest feature blends supernatural folk-horror with elements of a revenge thriller to create a unique and enthralling premise that draws upon Filipino folklore. However, much like their previous film, this latest venture doesn’t go far enough to derive much terror with its collection of ideas.

It’s only moments after being introduced to the smiley housekeeper that viewers learn that there’s something else going on, when she uses an incantation to coax a tick into a matchbox. Later, Christine’s daughter (Billie Gadson) notices strange behaviour, while her husband (Mark Strong) begins to suspect that Diana’s manipulating her. Nocebo takes its time establishing the various moving pieces that fit into this grander horror. It aims for the slow-burn approach that’s become so prevalent in recent years, however, the script does little in the way of escalating the tension, as one strange encounter with Diana moves on to the next. A handful of flashbacks give the character an interesting backstory that gives way to the script’s social commentary; unfortunately, viewers will be able to see the end reveal coming from a mile away. 

When the horror does come into play in the final act, the impact is severely hampered by the lack of tension, combined with an unsurprising twist and special effects that are more comical than grotesque (unless you have a severe phobia of ticks). The result is a finale that fizzles rather than going out with a bang. And when so many fantastic ideas are brought to the table, the underwhelming execution makes Nocebo that bit more disappointing.

Andrew Murray

Nocebo is released digitally on demand on 9^th December 2022.

Watch the trailer for Nocebo here: