The Morrigan not a film about justice for women across time or patriarchal comeuppance but a man’s idea of what that looks like.
The Morrigan is a possession story that begins with promise. It talks about the legendary Morrigan. It teases a conflict between women and the patriarchy, tying in with the mythological tale. However, it devolves in almost every way into unintelligible slop. In addition, the dialogue withers the moment it flies out of the character’s mouth. Combine all of that with the blatant scenes pandering to men, and it’s clear The Morrigan tries and fails to be multiple things.
Colum Eastwood (Black Medicine) writes and directs the film. It follows a mother, Fiona, played by Saffron Burrows (You, Canary Black), struggling to receive recognition and tenure. After a presentation to four men, they greenlight her expedition to an island to seek proof that Morrigan was a real woman. Of course, there’s a catch. She can’t spearhead the excavation. Her predatory boss, Jonathan, played by Jonathan Forbes (The Rainmaker, The Wives), gets that honor. She will assist while they table discussion on her tenure until her return.
Also in tow is Fiona’s daughter, Lily, played by Emily Flain (Dead and Buried, Zoo). Aside from them, there is Malachy, performed by Toby Stephens (Marama, A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story), and his son, Sean, played by Art Parkinson (Aontas, Say Nothing), who live on the island. Through their arrival, the film builds up the tension and atmosphere. However, soon enough, acting and dialogue demonstrate a marked uncertainty about the characters.
The Morrigan Puts Too Many Eggs in the Basket
The Morrigan is a mythological horror movie with gender conflict and religious overtones. But it’s taking on so much that it leaves all aspects flat. As for the mythological being, she winds up with next to no attention. The gender tensions between Fiona and her daughter versus the men on the island are shallow. Not to mention, the way Fiona responds to her daughter about Jonathan seesaws. One minute, she stresses that Lily should be grateful. Next, she cautions her daughter to steer clear of him. Given the flashbacks, it makes Fiona’s assertion that Lily should be grateful even more illogical.
Adding in the religious aspect felt incredibly lazy and common. If The Morrigan included more legends, even making up some of their own, instead of the typical white-collared clergy, the overall quality of the movie would improve. Instead, it takes the route of a film like The Cave without any of the parts that made that film entertaining.
Unnecessary Additions
There is too much that occurs that is shocking for the sake of it or pandering. First, the partial nude scene with Lily is a needless waste except to appeal to men watching. This is a character who is underage. There is no reason the movie gives to justify this. Next, there is also an assault that makes sense only with shallow reasoning. It’s the most toxic, masculine interpretation of girl boss.
The Morrigan not a film about justice for women across time or patriarchal comeuppance but a man’s idea of what that looks like. It uses the subject of patriarchal oppression without committing to it. At the very least, do not paint broad swaths depicting a gender conflict while having the most rudimentary thing to say. The only positive, aside from its start, is how atmospheric it appears. The Morrigan is a letdown with so much potential at its start, but winds up forfeiting it before the halfway mark.
