Thorns (2023) Review

Thorns is a gory, religious, sci-fi horror that evokes the familiar anxieties brought by classics such as Alien, The Thing, and most prominently the Hellraiser series.

Douglas Schulze’s take on this apocalypse film mixes religious musings, fated outcomes, and reflections on humanity’s place in the universe all while showcasing the long-standing beauty of practical effects. There is a shocking body horror scene before the title card even shows, setting the bar pretty high for the rest of the film and it does not miss.

The reluctant main character of the story is ex-priest Gabe (Jon Bennett) whose abandonment of religion led him to work for NASA. As a subject of destiny, he is drawn back to religion as he begins to uncover why an observatory went silent after receiving a transmission from space. Bennett never really becomes the epic hero but a more grounded figure who is just trying their best to fight fate.

Sister Agnes (Cassandra Schomer), a nun who has recently become mute, joins Gabe in the fight against the impending arrival of Hell. Featuring a mute character in such a dense plot like this is ambitious, especially for having such a small cast of characters. Schomer’s use of sign language and expressive body language made the character easy to understand and a great addition to the film.

Archbishop Jenkins (Doug Bradley) is almost the unreliable narrator of the film. Whenever he appears, there is always important information to be shared with an ominous tone and an unclear motive. It’s Bradley doing what he does best, delivering brutal lines and unveiling devastating realities. This homage to films like Hellraiser wouldn’t have been complete without Bradley. The cenobite-like creature, the Necronaut, alongside Bradley’s unmistakable voice just feels right.

The Necronaut is the film’s bread and butter and definitely has icon potential. It’s the cherry on top of this solid practical effects film which, by the way, features not just one but two eye trauma scenes along with creepy creatures crawling under everyone’s skin! On the other hand, the use of CGI is not the strongest in this film but that can be expected in an independent film that has already put great effort into its practical effects. It is a bit jarring when the practical and CGI effects are used very close to each other or even in the same scene. The difference in quality can bring a viewer out of the world that the film tries to create. If one is used to B-Movie-like effects the CGI can be easy to forgive in favor of the eye candy that is the practical effects.

Something that may be overlooked in Thorns is the impressive sound design. From creepy whispers to ear-piercing transmissions from Hell, the film really explores the spectrum of sound to terrify the audience. This aural nightmare is integral to the plot and was not a task taken lightly by the sound team. It makes for an immersive audio experience that sends chills down the spine.

Thorns has its weak points but any genre aficionado would view these with an understanding of budget constraints that some might even have a fondness for since they are reminiscent of many B-Movie gems of decades past. Schulze’s bloody tale of humanity’s end is the perfect dose of horror nostalgia with a plot that has enough depth to still feel fresh.

Movie Rating:

Thorns trailer:

Read our interview with Douglas Schulze