The Dutch film, Moloch, delivers some solid folk horror in this atmospheric tale. Betriek (Sallie Harmsen) lives a quiet life, looking after her daughter, while trying to forget the trauma that scarred her as a child, when her grandmother was murdered.

This has caused a bit of conflict between her and her own mother, Elske (Anneke Blok), but things get very strange when bodies are discovered in the nearby bog, preserved through the ages. A group of scientists, led by Jonas (Alexandre Willaume), are excavating the bodies, and it may have stirred something up.

Or it may have been lurking all along, tying in with a legend that is celebrated around the town, there’s even a school play.

When Betriek and her family are attacked in the middle of the night by one of the excavation team, she finds herself in a strange mystery that may have a family connection and could lead to a horrifying conclusion.

The story plays out slowly, letting the narrative come to a boil, and letting the characters breathe and grow through the film. There are some spooky and frightening moments, but it’s all about the slow build even as Betriek finds herself pulled deeper into the horror.

There are some frightening discoveries made along the way, even after the legend is brought to life by the school play, something that amps up the underlying horrific tension nicely. You know something horrible is going to happen, you know something is coming, and you know that Betriek and her family are going to be at its heart.

The film doesn’t rush, the narrative doles itself out patiently, expecting the viewer to pay attention, to watch the characters, the expressions, their movements, and it all plays out wonderfully. The visual effects are kept to a minimum and when they are used, they are used to advance the story, not to mention to give a few scares.

I loved the final moments of the film, the final shots.

Harmsen is delightful and I love the whole vibe of the film. I like the way the film looks, the way the story plays. I really enjoyed this one, and this film is why I love exploring the way other countries explore the genres I love; they tell tales differently, other things scare them, and they have their own stories.

It’s so much fun to explore horror from around the world, and this one was really engaging.