Baghead (2023) Review

Alberto Corredor’s 2023 horror opus, Baghead, beckons audiences into its murky depths through the eyes of Iris Lark, played by Freya Allan (The Witcher), a young woman thrust into ownership of The Queen’s Head, a decaying drinking establishment, following her estranged father’s demise. With an enticing premise, talented cast including Ruby Barker (Bridgerton) and Jeremy Irvine (War Horse), and the promise of supernatural scares, Baghead quickly lures its audience into its clammy atmospheric embrace.

The story unfurls as Iris grapples with the news of her father’s fiery demise, forcing her unexpectedly into the unenviable role of pub proprietor. Unbeknownst to her at first, beneath the creaking floorboards lurks Baghead, a spectral entity capable of summoning the deceased for fleeting, disconcerting encounters. Soon, Iris’s financial woes prompt her to exploit Baghead’s abilities, leading her down a treacherous path of supernatural entanglements.

Despite its promising premise, Baghead reportedly stumbled out of the gate on its release a couple of weeks back, based on a generally luke-warm reception. It still very much feels that a lot of the ill-feeling towards the film was down to the fact that it commits a cardinal sin in horror cinema – revealing its titular monster too soon. The absence of suspenseful buildup robs the film of its potential to shock and unsettle, leaving viewers yearning for the unseen terror that never materialises. Thankfully though, there is more to this film than a grotesque beast, and the true horror of Baghead is the deciptful web the revenant weaves, and the resultant chaos brought about by the people who summon it.

Anne Müller’s portrayal of Baghead offers moments of genuine unease, and though at times it comes close to looking like a J-horror trope, the ghastly appearance and abhorrent behaviour are quite justified. It isn’t long until we realise that this is a being that has enslaved, and it is no more a monster are than those that force it to do their bidding. The rules governing Baghead’s powers, though reiterated repeatedly, don’t seem to serve as much of a deterrent to those foolish enough to partake.

Freya Allan and Ruby Barker deliver solid performances as Iris and her friend Katie, respectively, the characters are well developed without overwhealming the audience with back-story. The pace of Baghead is rapid, and from the opening scene the viewer is plunged headfirst into the dark depths – back-peddling to tell us more about the intricacies in this small setup would detract from the tempo.

Though Iris and Katie’s decisions often stray into the realm of incredulity, the supernatural scenario makes their actions just about justifiable. Jeremy Irvine’s Neil adds depth to the narrative, and his trajectory, though a little predictable, helps to invigorate the plot. The end result is a cast of memorable characters worthy of investment. And this includes short but sweet appearance from Peter Mullan as Iris’ unfortunate predecessor (and father), and Peaky Blinders regular Ned Dennehy as the scheming solicitor.

The film’s atmospheric pub setting, draped in shadows and steeped in history, holds promise for dark, demonic encounters. The pace and frequency of interactions with Baghead are complemented by the eerie locale. And given the limited setting and tiny cast, the true power of the film comes from the character dynamics and the classic ghost story foundation upon which everything is built.

Baghead teases intriguing themes of grief, exploitation, and the supernatural and goes into as much depth as is necessary for a 94-minute feature, though some audiences could be left craving more substance amidst the scares. The climactic twist injects a good level of intrigue and horror.

Baghead tantalises with the promise of supernatural surprises and might ultimately fall short of delivering the same level of shocks and scares as Talk to Me – the paranormal horror that it has been compared to by numeous critics. But given the small setup and budget, it does surprisingly well to leave a lasting impression and push the independent British horror envelope a little further.

In a time where crowdfunding and low production costs are delivering independent horror films in quick succession and at a high standard, Baghead stands out as a quality offering, delivering on story, performance and aesthetics. This is what we need to see more of, in the place of lazy found footage ordeals. It might not be perfect, but Baghead definitely does not disappoint.

Supernatural chiller BAGHEAD out now on Digital, Blu-ray & DVD

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Baghead trailer