Overview
18th century Austria. Villages surrounded by deep forests. A woman is sentenced to death after killing a baby. Agnes is marrying her loved one and candidly prepares herself for a spouse life. Soon after, her head and heart start to feel heavy. Day after day, she is increasingly trapped in a murky and lonely path leading to evil thoughts. Maybe not just thoughts…
Review
Quiet, bleak, spiralling and an almost perfectly crafted period piece. The Devil’s Bath is a heartbreaking, unrelenting swan dive into melancholy. If you’re depressed living in modern times, cheer up: you could be living in the 1700s. This film captures so brilliantly its story and atmosphere directly from historical artifacts. There’s a dark, almost grisly way of life presented here. It’s dire as we follow the life of Agnes who becomes isolated within her new family and community.
Period pieces are usually not my favorites. So I didn’t expect to like this film. But The Devil’s Bath intrigued and consumed my attention for its entire runtime. Unexpectedly, it debuted in my top-10 horror movies of 2024. Shudder is definitely stepping up the quality of their offerings as of late.
Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)
