An Taibhse (2024) Film Review - I Don't Think We’re Alone Now

There have been plenty of Irish horror flicks in the past, but John Farrelly’s latest film, Ah Taibhse (The Ghost) marks a first. Marketed as the first and only horror movie produced entirely in the Irish language, it focuses on a father and his daughter hired as Winter caretakers for an isolated Georgian Mansion, only to be terrorized by a dark entity.

Set in post-famine Ireland, it follows Éamon (Tom Kerrisk) and his daughter Máire (Livvy Hill) who relocate to a remote country estate to take care of the Fitzwilliams’ family mansion during the winter. The move serves as a fresh start for the family after his wife passed away. It’s also a new beginning for Máire, who’s running away from a ghost named Alexander, who previously terrorized her. Everything seems to be fine, until one night, she hears footsteps outside her room, and someone trying to get in. She fears that Alexander may have found her, but Éamon shrugs her worries off, saying that it is all in her head and that the ghost haunting her is not real. Things soon escalate inside the mansion, as she gets terrifying visions and gets attacked by an unseen force, with her father thinking that she’s only doing these things to herself to get his attention.

Penned and directed by John Farrelly, this film blends haunted house thrills with a rich Gothic atmosphere, resulting in a highly absorbing and effectively terrifying supernatural chiller. It maximizes its bleak period setting and spooky location, with a sense of claustrophobia and isolation that permeates throughout the film. Despite an obviously modest budget, An Taibhse manages to deliver some clever scares and nail-biting tension thanks to Farrelly’s solid writing and direction.

The idea of being cooped up in an isolated house is already interesting. But what if you can no longer trust the one person you are stuck with, and who’s supposed to protect you in the first place? Clear echoes of classic horror films such as Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 landmark film ‘The Shining’ permeate through the visuals of the film (there’s even one scene here that eerily matches one of the film’s iconic moments).

Jumping right into the action during the first act, An Taibhse doesn’t waste any minutes as Máire immediately senses something is not right in their new home. It slows down a bit during the middle portion, but Farrelly manages to regain the film’s momentum with a gripping third act thanks to a devilishly clever twist.

It’s also well-acted, with Livvy Hill delivering a compelling turn as Máire, who seems to be the only one aware of the presence that haunts their new home. This is perfectly complemented by Tom Kerrisk’s deliciously twisted turn as her father, Éamon, who seems to succumb to the evil presence haunting them- or is it just the cabin fever creeping upon him? Either way, he gives a brilliantly terrifying performance that will surely freak one out.

A masterful exercise in dread and atmosphere with a refreshing spin on the classic ghost story, John Farrelly’s An Taibhse is definitely one of the scariest films of the year and a must-see for fans of Supernatural horror.