
After a series of sexually violent crimes strikes terror into a small town, a doctor becomes to suspect that the source may be something beyond human understanding. The first lead comes when a young man confesses he is the one to blame for the crimes. However, his belief that his dreams are the source of the evil makes it hard for the town to accept, and come to terms with their dark history.

Positives
- Great balance of mystery, horror and gore
- Dark premise that is well executed and not overly exploitive given the subject matter
- Strong cinematography
- John Cassavetes’ strong presence and general bad-assery on show
- All actors compliment the film, including bit characters and victims
- Uncomfortable dialogue that also happens to be quotable
- A soul crushing ending with a final image that will be burned into audiences minds
Negatives
- The monster is not heavily featured
- Heavy focus on sexual violation as means of murder will be a detractor for many
- Reminder that ‘Rock Opera’ was a thing, and why it died out. (via one cheesy scene)
- John Cassavets’s performance is somewhat one note
- Eclectic score does not always work
General Thoughts
Based on the American novel by Ray Russell, Mr Sardonicus, the production has an interesting mix of talent behind the project. Directed by Brit John Hugh, starring the iconic American actor/director John Cassavetes and rounded out with a mixed cast of Canadian, British and American actors. Shot in Canada and considered a Canadian film, this may be partially to blame for this becoming a lost film of sorts. While far from being perfect, it offers up a good mix of mystery and horror, thick with style and atmosphere that has seen lesser films of the era catapulted into cult status.
Thankfully, the film has seen a proper Blu-Ray release from the good people over at Vinegar Syndrome.
Final Verdict
With proper distribution on initial release, The Incubus could have become an infamous title for horror fans to cling onto. Sadly, the times will not be kind to the movie as a creature that kills by violating woman is not going to catch a second wave of notoriety. This sentiment will likely be reflected in even the most modern hardened horror fan. Ultimately, it is not a great premise for the current landscape.
Regardless of the content, the other aspects of the film have stood the test of time, offering up a solid experience for those who love horror film of the 80’s. The Incubus may very well be the most underrated horror film ever to come out of Canada, though it certainly won’t be to everyone’s tastes (which is understandable).
Final Score
More Reviews:
Mad Heidi (2022) Film Review – A Loving Look at the Discarded Exploitation Films of the 1970s
“Yodel me this!” – Heidi Long before home media and even longer before video streaming, the only way to see original movies was to go to the theater. Most theaters…
Terrified (2017) Film Review – Do You Believe in Pure Evil?
Terrified, existing as one of the earlier Shudder exclusives, is a a supernatural horror film from Argentina that has seen a fair amount of accolades – it has been sitting…
Deadstream (2022) Film Review – The Evil Dead IRL
Disgraced YouTube stars are a dime a dozen, as it is pretty damn easy to become a ‘persona-non-grata’ in this day and age. The disposable nature of online fame has…
The Latent Image (2022) Film Review – British Horror Thriller
The Latent Image is a 2022 British gay horror mystery, written and directed by Alexander McGregor Birrell with additional writing from the film’s main star, Joshua Tonks. Beginning his career…
J-Horror Origins: The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959)
Modern day J-horror traces its origins back to Japanese folklore and Kabuki plays, The Ghost of Yotsuya can be seen as an intermediate stage in the development of the field…
The Barn (2021) Short Film Review – Drowning in Raw Chicken
An experimental narrative on loss and ghastly visions that hint at sinister forces, The Barn is a dialogue-free short film with a heavy focus on music. Dense on atmosphere, The…