Director: Sergio G. SánchezA young man and his four younger siblings, who have kept secret the death of their beloved mother in order to remain together, are plagued by a sinister presence in the sprawling manor in which they live.
Unfortunately, Marrowbone can’t stop introducing new angles to its story. What begins as a haunted house film expands to include a love triangle between Jack, Allie and an ambitious local lawyer (Kyle Soller). Then a murder mystery is introduced, along with a subplot involving the lawyer’s promising new job in New York and a lingering question about why Jane (Mia Goth), Billy (Charlie Heaton) and Sam are forced to stay in the house. All of the loose ends do come together in the end, but an unsurprising twist that any horror fan worth their salt will see coming a mile away doesn’t stick the landing, resulting in a mildly unsatisfying resolution. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is problematic enough to give pause.
On the whole Marrowbone is worth a watch for its atmosphere, set design and some pretty decent set pieces, including a nifty one involving a dark attic and a limited number of matches. While Sánchez’s screenplay could have done with fewer subplots, his directorial debut remains eminently watchable. Just ensure that you’re going in looking for more than a ghost story.