“If you hear the whispers in his forest, he's come to eat your soul.”
Dark Sky Films has released the official US trailer and poster for The Soul Eater, a gripping new horror thriller from acclaimed French filmmakers Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo. Known for their spine-tingling hits like Inside (2007) and The Deep House, the duo returns with this adaptation of Alexis Laipsker's novel Le Mangeur d'âmes.
The movie premiered at the 2024 Rotterdam Film Festival and has since been showcased at various genre film festivals. The plot centers on a small mountain village plagued by a series of brutal murders and missing children. As investigators delve deeper, they uncover a chilling local legend about a malevolent creature known as “The Soul Eater.”
The English-dubbed version of The Soul Eater stars Emmanuel Lanzi, Malik Zidi, Paul Hamy, Sandrine Bonnaire, and Virginie Ledoyen. The story combines intense crime procedural elements with supernatural horror, promising plenty of gore and psychological thrills. Co-directed by Bustillo & Maury, the screenplay was adapted by Annelyse Batrel and Ludovic Lefebvre.
The Soul Eater premieres on December 10th, 2024, as a direct-to-VOD release in the US. Judging by the trailer, fans of dark, atmospheric horror with a splash of gore are in for a treat.
My Impressions: Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo are no strangers to the horror genre, and The Soul Eater looks like another testament to their mastery. The atmospheric setting and the melding of folklore with crime investigation add depth to the narrative, setting it apart from formulaic horror films. The casting, particularly with seasoned actors like Sandrine Bonnaire and Virginie Ledoyen, enhances the film's credibility.
That said, the English-dubbed version might miss some of the original linguistic nuances. Still, for fans of The Deep House or Leatherface, this promises a familiar yet fresh approach to horror. I'm especially intrigued by how the narrative balances gruesome visuals with psychological tension. Will The Soul Eater live up to its predecessors? Only December will tell.
Do you think The Soul Eater's blend of folklore and modern horror will redefine supernatural thrillers? Why or why not?
