Rent The Siren (2019)

Haunting - The Siren review by NP

What a uniquely strange and haunting film this is. Billed as a horror, which it unquestionably is, it is also a truly heart-wrenching tale of longing and impossible love.

Nina, the titular siren (Margaret Ying Drake), mute outsider Tom (Evan Dumouchel) and lonely Al (MacLeod Andrews) are the three main characters, and with them we spend the 80 minutes of this story’s running time. Inspired by the legend of The Rusalka, director and co-writer Perry Blackshear has these three guide us through a myriad of emotions – loss, friendship, distrust, suspicion and love. Interesting that Tom is a man of deep faith, and it such a refreshing change that faith isn’t used as any kind of catalyst for anything else – it is simply part of his character and it gladdens us that he isn’t totally alone, even after all that transpires.

Al is bereft after his husband – seen only briefly in flashback – is taken from him. When Nina appears, things change slowly. In fact, most things happen slowly, which will ensure this film isn’t for everyone – but I found myself genuinely moved by it.

Terrific, intense performances all around – Ying Drake especially is creepy, sorrowful, alluring and endearing, sometimes all in one scene – allow ‘The Siren’ to stay in your mind long after the credits, and the haunting music, have finished rolling. My score is 8 out of 10.