The Entity': A Review of the Thriller Starring Benedict Cumberbatch

Contents:

• The protagonist's gradual descent into madness
• The connection between the film and its literary source
• Why another story about trauma is worth paying attention to
• Reasons for the failure of film adaptations

On November 20, a dramatic thriller directed by Dylan Southern and based on the work of the English writer Max Porter will be released in Russian cinemas. Benedict Cumberbatch will delight audiences in the lead role, and the film's world premiere took place at the Sundance Film Festival. Film critic Timur Aliyev, who has frequently tackled themes of loss in cinema, shares his impressions:

• How does the director transform a psychological drama into visual horror?
• How exactly do the film's ideas conflict with the philosophical concepts of the original novel?
• For a comic book artist, the presence of a talking raven can serve as an important narrative element. Such a character can not only add originality and uniqueness to the plot, but also act as a kind of commentator on the events. A talking raven can be a source of wisdom, wit, or even humor, introducing additional layers of meaning and emotion to the story. Moreover, this image is often associated with mysticism and mystery, which helps deepen the atmosphere of the work and attract readers. Thus, the talking raven is not just a character, but an important tool for creating a more multifaceted and engaging narrative.
• The director sometimes puts visual aesthetics above content, sacrificing depth and meaning for the sake of creating attractive and effective images.

The protagonist's gradual descent into madness

The dreary and neglected home of the comic book artist, played by Cumberbatch, is in complete disarray. Dirty dishes have piled up in the kitchen sink, things are scattered everywhere, and the hero himself looks extremely unkempt. This state was caused by a tragic event that happened some time ago: returning home, he came across the dead body of his wife lying in the kitchen. Since then, his life has collapsed, and it is this broken man that the viewer meets at the beginning of the story.

Now the head of the family must find harmony in his life. On the one hand, he needs to continue his creative work, which requires maximum concentration and full dedication. On the other hand, he needs to take care of the house and raise two sons who were left without a mother. Unfortunately, he is hampered in his ability to cope with this responsibility by both painful memories of loss and a deep despair from which he cannot escape.

A huge Raven begins to live in the house, which is initially noticed only by the father. However, by the end of the story, this mysterious bird appears to the sons as well. This imposing feathered giant, moving around the house on two legs, is a product of the protagonist's inner world. The raven follows him from room to room, mocking his artwork and provoking fits of panic and rage. It constantly insists that the protagonist is a loser and a bad father, unable to maintain stability in his life. The protagonist finds himself in a situation where he loses control, unable to help his children with their studies or cope with the loss of a parent. The protagonist finds himself in a situation where he must overcome all five stages of grief and simultaneously discover what the raven really is. Perhaps it is the artist's dark side? Or perhaps something demonic, or perhaps something else entirely? And how can he finally get rid of this creature? Over time, it becomes more and more brazen and unceremonious, interfering not only in the life of the father, but also posing a threat to the children.

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The Connection Between the Film and its Literary Source

"The Entity" is an adaptation of Max Porter's best-selling novel, published in the mid-2010s. The novel has won numerous literary awards and has been translated into 27 languages. The plot is based on the life and work of Ted Hughes, a prominent 20th-century British poet who faced numerous personal challenges, including depression and loss of family.

The character of the Crow, who first appeared in Hughes's poem cycle, is not simply a figure of fear, but also a personification of the primal power and chaos of nature, serving as a link between different worlds and a voice of the unconscious. Porter's novel retains this multi-layered nature, but in the film adaptation, the director significantly simplifies it. In this film, the Crow acts primarily as a tormentor emerging from the depths of the subconscious, rather than as a multifaceted philosophical symbol. It's also worth noting that the film's main character is not a writer, but a comic book artist.

The film and the book emphasize different aspects. Southern uses comics as a special visual form to convey information in the plot. Through images and sketches of the protagonist, who continues to be represented by Raven, his unconscious—that which he cannot express in words—is revealed. While in the novel, the writer's sons, Porter, are fully-fledged characters with names, friends, and their own school stories, in Southern's interpretation, the children appear merely in the background, fulfilling specific roles. The director focuses on Raven, who becomes the key figure in the plot, overshadowing less significant characters.Porter's work immerses the reader in reflections on the philosophical aspects of loss. The author doesn't limit himself to merely depicting the experience of grief; through his protagonist's inner reflections, he raises significant questions. Is healing possible through suffering? Why do people feel the need to share their pain with others? How exactly do we understand our own grief? In contrast, Southern focuses solely on the personal tragedy of a specific father who is left alone.

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Why Another Trauma Story Is Worth Watching

First and foremost, The Entity is captivating in its visual presentation. Director Southern uses a 4:3 aspect ratio to immerse the viewer in the protagonist's experiences. This decision emphasizes the growing sense of anxiety. Much of the action takes place in the confined space of an apartment, and its interior—narrow hallways, tightly curtained windows, and small doorways—evokes the same anxiety in the viewer as in the character.

The director masterfully creates an atmosphere of despondency and hopelessness for Cumberbatch's character, using a subdued color scheme. Sunlight occasionally filters through the windows, but the interior of the house is mostly shrouded in cool tones. The gloomy walls of the hallways, the subdued lighting in the office, and the dull tones in the kitchen…

The character seems trapped in this color scheme, which symbolizes his state of mind. Despite the apparent chaos—unwashed dishes and scattered objects—the composition remains impeccable. There's an impression that there's nothing superfluous on screen, and the clutter seems deliberate, almost minimalistic.

The Crow certainly deserves special mention. This terrifying creature, which often looms menacingly over the protagonist, initially evokes feelings of fear and revulsion. The Raven is played by actor David Thewlis, who rose to fame as Professor Lupin in Harry Potter. In The Entity, his voice becomes an instrument of terror. Every cackle, growl, mocking tone, and hiss is aimed at creating an ominous image. This is perhaps one of Thewlis's most memorable performances in cinema—as a voice actor, of course.

At the beginning of the film, the Raven appears as a terrifying monster, but as the story unfolds, he undergoes a metamorphosis. This creature is transformed: from the personification of horror it was at the start, the Raven becomes the conscience of the protagonist - similar to the role of the Talking Cricket in the story of Pinocchio.

Reasons for the failure of film adaptations

There is an opinion that the presence of a star in the lead role guarantees success, but, unfortunately, in Hollywood this statement has long ceased to be true. In addition, Benedict Cumberbatch, who has a significant screen time in this project, has already played a father going through various stages of loss in the miniseries "Eric" on Netflix, which was released in 2024.

In the film "The Entity" Cumberbatch plays an almost identical character, as if he simply changed the location for filming, without leaving his image. However, in this story, the central element of loss is not a son, but a wife, and the symbol of the internal struggle is not a life-size puppet, as in "Eric," but an imposing Raven.

Resisting ridicule and engaging in conflict, the protagonist sometimes seems absurd, and sometimes even ridiculous: he fights with emptiness or flees from an intangible monster (as is known, only he can see the Raven). These moments contradict the tragic image of a man who has lost his beloved.

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The storyline in Southern's film is rather limited and hardly reaches A full-length film. It's therefore no surprise that the first hour of the film, which represents a descent into the absurd reality of the grief-stricken protagonist, is perceived quite smoothly. However, the narrative then begins to stall and slow. The paradox is that Southern managed to create an atmosphere and set the direction for the plot, but soon seems to lose confidence in his original concept. It seems he no longer understands how to develop the established tempo. Some scenes simply repeat, but with even greater intensity: the hero cries again, draws, wipes away tears again, and then sits down again in front of a blank sheet of paper. As the plot progresses, the characters' motives become increasingly unclear. In the first part of the film, the viewer becomes aware that they are dealing with a man trying to suppress his feelings for the sake of his children. "They shouldn't see me suffer," the hero says during a consultation with a psychologist. The second half of the film shows the monotonous flow of everyday life, devoid of a clear purpose and meaning.

In conclusion, it is worth mentioning one more drawback - the complete uncertainty of the genre. Throughout the film, it remains unclear what type of film this piece truly is. Southern seems to balance between the intention to scare, the desire to offer comfort, and an attempt to understand how to properly cope with tragic events. Unfortunately, none of these intentions receives sufficient depth or even minimal development.

Can "The Entity" be called a true horror? Most likely not, except perhaps at the very beginning—the first 15-20 minutes. If this is truly a philosophical drama, then where is the philosophy—in the dialogue, the imagery, or at least in any conclusions? The film also doesn't fit the framework of a psychological thriller—too many confusing circles and drawn-out moments.

Dylan Southern's work once again demonstrates how form sometimes overshadows poor and, what's especially disappointing, unclear content. This is especially sad, considering that Max Porter, in his novel about a distinguished poet, explored profound themes such as suffering, death, and healing through the lens of loss. However, on screen, the result was bland. The emotional roller coaster promised by the synopsis and trailer turned into meditative Nordic walking.