Author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) is understood for his quick tales and poetry coping with mysteries and the macabre. Within the U.S., he’s considered a dominant determine of Romanticism and is taken into account to be the inventor of the detective fiction style, in addition to a significant contributor to science fiction. Poe’s most well-known poem, The Raven, was printed in 1845 and describes an agitated lover’s painfully sluggish descent into insanity after he’s visited by a speaking raven. Whereas The Raven was reportedly impressed by Charles Dickens’ real-life pet raven, the movie Raven’s Hole makes an attempt to inform the story of Poe’s inspiration for the poem as a supernatural incident the younger author skilled, however does so with controversial outcomes.

Written by Christopher Hatton and Chuck Reeves and directed by Hatton, Raven’s Hole leaves loads of questions surrounding the creature within the story unanswered, however nonetheless manages to be an entertaining account of what Poe’s formative years earlier than he grew to become a well known author might have been like.

Raven’s Hole is about within the fall of 1830 and follows West Level cadet Edgar Allan Poe, performed by William Moseley (The Royals), and 4 different cadets, who make a grisly discovery whereas collaborating in a coaching train in upstate New York. Whereas using their horses, the cadets come throughout a person displayed in a fashion which resembles a scarecrow and making the scene much more grotesque, the person has been disemboweled. A lot to the cadets’ shock, the person continues to be barely alive, and he manages to utter the phrase, “raven,” earlier than dying.

Hoping to study the id of the person and notify his household, the cadets take the physique with them and proceed using till they attain a village referred to as Raven’s Hole. Based mostly on his final phrase, the cadets are satisfied this was the place the useless man lived, however once they query the villagers, who’re holding a funeral, they inform the cadets they’ve by no means seen the person earlier than. Regardless of the very fact the villagers insist they don’t know the useless man, Poe thinks they’re hiding one thing. After they provide the cadets dinner and lodging for the evening, the boys agree to remain.

One resident of Raven’s Hole, Charlotte Ingram, performed by Melanie Zanetti (Love and Monsters), is pleasant and makes an attempt to make the cadets really feel welcome and cozy throughout their keep, however her mom Elizabet, performed by Kate Dickie (Prometheus), makes it clear she doesn’t need them there. A steady hand, who introduces himself as Usher (Oberon Okay.A. Adjepong), an apparent nod to Poe’s quick story The Fall of the Home of Usher, warns the cadets that in the event that they don’t depart that evening the entity which inhabits Raven’s Hole will kill all of them. Usher tells them the villagers are uncertain if the being is a spirit or the satan, however that it hunts the individuals of the neighborhood. When Poe and his fellow cadets resolve to remain the evening anyway, one of many males goes lacking and one after the other individuals meet with ghastly deaths. Quickly, there’s a path of physique components and Poe is doing detective work to determine if one thing otherworldly is accountable or if there’s a assassin in Raven’s Hole.

The overcast, gloomy environment that permeates each body of Raven’s Hole, in addition to Robert Ellis-Geiger’s rating, lend a tangible feeling of dread to the movie. Though because the movie progresses it turns into more and more tough to contemplate the story as potential inspiration for the poem The Raven, William Moseley’s brooding portrayal of Edgar Allan Poe is noteworthy. It’s prompt that the being tormenting Raven’s Hole is a shapeshifter, however the lackluster CGI and incapacity to choose any constant creature design don’t work within the movie’s favor. Among the many extra plausible and traditionally correct particulars of the movie are Poe’s use of opium, which he takes hoping it is going to assist him see the true type of the creature, and his obvious descent into close to insanity within the remaining act.

Raven’s Hole – Picture Credit score: Shudder

Whereas Raven’s Hole suffers from poorly designed creature results and uninteresting CGI, the movie does characteristic some nice performances, particularly from Moseley as Poe and Dickie because the sinister Elizabet. Regardless that it’s unclear if references to Poe’s work reminiscent of characters named Usher and Lenore and even just a few ravens are meant to be intelligent or tongue-in-cheek, Raven’s Hole does succeed at being a moody, macabre, and general gratifying interval piece.

Raven’s Hole will likely be out there solely on AMC Networks’ premium streaming service Shudder on September 22.