[FANTASIA 2019] ‘8’ Review

I’m not exaggerating when I say that 8 has my favorite opening scene of the year in any film. A man walks into a darkly lit room with a large, leather bag over his shoulder, humming an African beat of some sort. Someone lays in a bed, terrified. The bag moves and the top pops open to reveal…something frightening. Absolutely loved this. It’s beautifully shot. Can the beauty, intensity, and atmosphere keep up?

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This South African, Gothic horror fable comes across as something like Candyman living among the people in a small community, with the obvious racial tones of that country as opposed to that of the Chicago, USA. But it’s not as much about race and class as it is about a folk legend. A man seeks to have his daughter back after she dies in a house fire. The devil makes it happen, but it comes with a price. He must now feed her souls for eternity. This soul collector, Lazarus (Tshamano Sebe) finds a young girl searching for silkworms in the woods, Mary (Keita Luna). When she brings him back home, Mary’s Uncle William (Garth Breytenbach) and Aunt Sarah (Inge Beckham) have a mixed reception. Sarah is suspicious, but William needs help. But what is Lazarus’ real purpose being here?

Lazarus is a complex character, both sympathetic and evil by necessity. Locals believe him to be a demon, doing the bidding of evil, and others remember his tortured past. Sebe is absolutely incredible, bringing a gigantic presence to the screen that is imposing and vulnerable. The cast as a whole brings authenticity, especially the local actors. Writer/director Harold Holscher has crafted an amazing looking debut feature. It’s entrenched in the very common theme in the horror genre of late: grief, and how we handle it. There’s definitely an influence from Takashi Miike’s Audition with the leather sack Lazarus carries, but I’d say otherwise this wholly feels like an original vision. 8 presents a story from a region I know very little about. This could also be seen as a drawback, as I’m not entrenched in the stories and folklore of the area and may not fully appreciate what I’m given. This is also a bit of a slow burn, at times a bit too slow. But when it fires, the movie fires on all cylinders.

I really did appreciate 8 is as great a debut feature, along the lines of Get Out and Hereditary as an original vision, with a unique voice I immediately want to see more from. This is one you can hope to experience on the big screen too in terms of visual scope and beauty, so don’t hesitate if you get the opportunity!