"Malleus", 2023 - Dir. by Andres Rafael Zabala
Andres Rafael Zabala is at it again! I am a big fan of Andres' 2012 feature film "A Dark Rome," and he is back in a big way with his latest feature "Malleus."
As everyone knows, I don't like to give away too much of the plot when I review a film, so I will just provide a brief summary.
Bea is a woman who suffered a severe head trauma during an attack in which her husband was killed. She now lives in solitude, and over time, due to the tax system in Italy, collectors come to her home time and again to remove whatever possessions she had that may have value. They are not kind about it either. Over time, Bea has visions of and interactions with the ghosts of people who were murdered by the same person, and who also had run-ins with the tax system. Bea is forced to try to piece together what is happening, and how the visions are related to what happened to her and her husband, and how the question of taxes ties everything together.
As everyone knows, I don't like to give away too much of the plot when I review a film, so I will just provide a brief summary.
Bea is a woman who suffered a severe head trauma during an attack in which her husband was killed. She now lives in solitude, and over time, due to the tax system in Italy, collectors come to her home time and again to remove whatever possessions she had that may have value. They are not kind about it either. Over time, Bea has visions of and interactions with the ghosts of people who were murdered by the same person, and who also had run-ins with the tax system. Bea is forced to try to piece together what is happening, and how the visions are related to what happened to her and her husband, and how the question of taxes ties everything together.
Photo courtesy of cinematographe.it
OK, the review...
In addition to a good ghost story, I am also a huge fan of psychological thrillers. Honestly, I am not entirely sure if "Malleus" is a horror film, a ghost story, a psychological thriller, or all three! In any case, it doesn't remotely matter, because regardless of how one classifies this film, "Malleus" truly stands out.
Let me start by talking about the acting, which is excellent all the way around, but the lead performance by Rosanna Fedele as Bea is truly outstanding. Rosanna puts so much heart and soul into the role, and she make the audience feel everything that is happening to her. Bad things are happening, but she never makes us feel pity for her. Rather, we feel angry because none of the inciting incidents were brought on by her actions. She and her husband were attacked by a maniac. She was left disabled and the victim of an unjust taxation system, AND, on top of all of that, she's seeing ghosts! Fedele handles all of the emotions required of the character with grace and precision and I honestly couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
Sadly, Rosanna passed away on March 19th, 2023 after a battle with cancer. You owe it to yourself to watch her in both this film and in "A Dark Rome."
In addition to a good ghost story, I am also a huge fan of psychological thrillers. Honestly, I am not entirely sure if "Malleus" is a horror film, a ghost story, a psychological thriller, or all three! In any case, it doesn't remotely matter, because regardless of how one classifies this film, "Malleus" truly stands out.
Let me start by talking about the acting, which is excellent all the way around, but the lead performance by Rosanna Fedele as Bea is truly outstanding. Rosanna puts so much heart and soul into the role, and she make the audience feel everything that is happening to her. Bad things are happening, but she never makes us feel pity for her. Rather, we feel angry because none of the inciting incidents were brought on by her actions. She and her husband were attacked by a maniac. She was left disabled and the victim of an unjust taxation system, AND, on top of all of that, she's seeing ghosts! Fedele handles all of the emotions required of the character with grace and precision and I honestly couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
Sadly, Rosanna passed away on March 19th, 2023 after a battle with cancer. You owe it to yourself to watch her in both this film and in "A Dark Rome."
Photo taken from FilmFreeway.com
All of the other performances are standouts as well. I particularly liked the tax collectors. They come across as slimy and unlikeable, which made me hate them in a good way, even though technically they are just doing a job.
When it comes to the screenplay, I have to admit that there were a few times when I was a bit confused, but that is ONLY because I am not familiar with the tax system in Italy. I didn't quite understand why they were taking all of Bea's belonging, along with her husband's. Was it to pay off medical debits? I'm not sure, but it's entirely possible that I just missed something along the way. In any case, given the way that medical debts are handled right here in the USA, I ended up being able to piece together what was happening.
I also love how Zabala manages to weave a solid thriller/ghost story together with a powerful social commentary, without resorting to beating the audience over the head with it's message.
The director does seem to have a fondness for ghosts, as they play a big role in both "Malleus" and his previous feature, "A Dark Rome." This is a good thing in my book, because I do love a good ghost story and Bea's interactions with these specters is what drives the plot forward and lead to the story's shattering conclusion.
I also love how Zabala manages to weave a solid thriller/ghost story together with a powerful social commentary, without resorting to beating the audience over the head with it's message.
The director does seem to have a fondness for ghosts, as they play a big role in both "Malleus" and his previous feature, "A Dark Rome." This is a good thing in my book, because I do love a good ghost story and Bea's interactions with these specters is what drives the plot forward and lead to the story's shattering conclusion.
Photo taken from FilmFreeway.com
I feel the need to point out how the score and sound design add to the overall atmosphere of this film. These are things that I think are sometimes overlooked, but without them, a lot of the scenes would be far less effective.
Director Andres R Zabala also has a flair for visuals. Both this film and "A Dark Rome" are beautifully shot, and contribute directly to the storytelling. The way Bea's scenes in her apartment are shot truly give us a sense of her loneliness, isolation and despair.
Director Andres R Zabala also has a flair for visuals. Both this film and "A Dark Rome" are beautifully shot, and contribute directly to the storytelling. The way Bea's scenes in her apartment are shot truly give us a sense of her loneliness, isolation and despair.
Photo taken from FilmFreeway.com
To summarize, I know I am repeating myself when I say how Andres R Zabala has managed to combine a social commentary about the tax system in Italy with a solid psychological thriller. Sometimes, these types of films can be a bit predictable, but not this one. I truly had no idea where it was going and when it was all tied together, I felt truly satisfied.
I highly recommend "Malleus." You can be a fan of ghost stories, thrillers or just films with a strong message. Either way, I am certain you will enjoy it. There is a reason this film is winning awards, including Best Picture and Best Director at Film Fest International in 2023 and Best Actress (Rosanna Fedele) and Best Director at the Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival.
I highly recommend "Malleus." You can be a fan of ghost stories, thrillers or just films with a strong message. Either way, I am certain you will enjoy it. There is a reason this film is winning awards, including Best Picture and Best Director at Film Fest International in 2023 and Best Actress (Rosanna Fedele) and Best Director at the Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival.
Director Andres R Zabala
Horror Nerd's Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Broken Eyeglasses!
Andres Rafael Zabala graduated in Cinema and TV and then trained as a cameraman. He has directed documentaries and reality shows for the TV channels Canale 5, RAIDUE, Studio Universal, Tele+ and Sky. As a director of commercials, he has made videos and spots for large national and international brands and institutions.
ARZ has also made 9 shorts, which have won him awards in national and international festivals. In 2014, he directed an independent feature film “A Dark Rome” (93 minutes, in English), which, besides being selected in a number of festivals abroad, also won the “Best Thriller of 2015” Award at the Macabre Faire Film Festival in New York.
His book “Disobedient directors – The cinematography of yesterday and today beyond the rules”. (Edizioni Efesto – Rome) was published in 2020.
ARZ has also made 9 shorts, which have won him awards in national and international festivals. In 2014, he directed an independent feature film “A Dark Rome” (93 minutes, in English), which, besides being selected in a number of festivals abroad, also won the “Best Thriller of 2015” Award at the Macabre Faire Film Festival in New York.
His book “Disobedient directors – The cinematography of yesterday and today beyond the rules”. (Edizioni Efesto – Rome) was published in 2020.