Fantastic Fest 2025 Review: THE VILE

Written by: Josh "The Merc" Raynor

 

Majid Al Ansari’s The Vile is a tense family drama/thriller mixed with some wonderful horror elements that keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. It builds an atmosphere of tension and unease, not just from the lingering possibility of some supernatural shenanigans, but from the family dynamics that are slowly eroding away over time.

This film dives into the idea of polygamy, but from the context of living in the UAE where such practices are legal. Through this lens, the film takes on a Fatal Attraction-type of vibe, with a new, younger woman coming into the home as the second wife, while the first wife deals with all of the emotional turmoil this brings up, as this wasn’t something she agreed to.

We get some powerful performances from both Bdoor Mohammad and Iman Tarik, who play mother and daughter, Amani and Noor. Watching them both showcase the emotional pain their characters are going through, and how differently they deal with that, was phenomenal. Their performances are truly what make this film as good as it is. They kept me riveted and wanting more.

I was also blown away by just how much I loved the score and sound design. These two things are integral to building great tension throughout a film, and it was done expertly here. There are also some amazing shots in this film, particularly the scene when Noor walks to the store. It’s such a simple scene, but what makes it great is how, through the way it’s shot, the audience is given a sense of time, which comes into play for the scene that follows. It gives you a chance to breath after a huge build up of tension, and forces you to sit in your own thoughts, wondering what’s happening back at the house. It was incredibly well done.

While this is definitely a horror film at its heart, I think it’s the family drama that makes it far more interesting. The horror story being told here isn’t really anything new, it’s not treading unique ground in that way, but when combined with the rest of this story, it makes it, at least to me, a story worth being told.

The only problem I really had with it was some pacing issues early on in the film. They could’ve probably trimmed ten minutes off and made it a tighter story that had a better flow. However, once you make it through the first half, the second half keeps you enthralled and wanting to see what comes next. And that final act really ramps up the horror, giving the audience some wonderfully phantasmagorical moments.

Overall, this was a film I went into knowing basically nothing about, and came out absolutely loving it. The way it gives most of the characters exactly what they deserved (whether in a good way or a bad way) is something I wish more films did, even if it’s seen as a risk. So, if you get the chance to check this one out, I highly recommend it.

 

The Merc’s Score: 8.5/10