Popular reviews

• 

  Review by Mondo Cinema ★★★

  I see what director Pollyanna McIntosh was going for, it just dosent 100 percent work.
  Solid debut film for her though.

  Mondo Cinema out....

• 

  Review by coles84 ★★★★½

  One of Frightfest highlights this year was the spectacular DARLIN’ in the third time we meet Pollyanna McIntosh’s ‘The Woman’ character and this time it’s in McIntosh’s directorial hands. I loved OFFSPRING and THE WOMAN and both movies felt entirely separate yet so obviously belonging to the same universe, DARLIN’ joins that trend and keeps the universe fresh and is extremely open to absorbing new ideas. A more comedic approach is hinted at times during the film but don’t worry that darkness and gore are there in full effect. The story centres around the titular character growing up in a church community while the Woman commences an in depth search for her, leaving chaos in her wake. Lauryn Canny is…

• 

  Review by Zay ★★½

  Loved The Offspring and The Woman but Darlin was a letdown. Started out nicely with Darlin being taken to a convent school for young women. A sympathetic nun wants to teach her to talk while a shady head bishop wants to exploit her in more ways than one. Meanwhile The Woman(Pollyanna McIntosh) is hot on her trail ready to fuck up anyone who gets in her way.

  I did enjoy the cast of characters, especially the creepy twins who said everything in sync. I spent most of the film hoping Darlin ate the bishop but that didn't happen. Pollyanna McIntosh bite a few ppl but that's about it as far as blood n gore are concerned.

  Darlin just didn't do it for me. Wasn't a bad film, but it wasn't a good end to the trilogy imho.

  5.5 out of 10

• 

  Review by Demdike ★★★½ 3

  A cracking continuation of the story that began with Lucky McKee's Offspring (2009) and The Woman (2011) about a feral woman and her children.

  Pollyanna McIntosh reprises her role of 'the Woman' and also directs, but this time her character isn't the central role. One of her adoptive offspring named Darlin' ends up in hospital and then at a Catholic boarding school where they attempt to civilize her to live in 'normal' society again, however the Woman has other ideas.

  I really enjoyed this. It was different to the other two films and felt quite fresh, dealing with patriarchy and Catholic corruption (obviously). It was reasonably tense throughout with one or two grisly moments along the way. The largely 'unknown to me' cast were all good and McIntosh's direction more than competent.

  Darlin' had me invested in it from the first moments and it never let up.

• 

  Review by jourdain searles ★★★½

  There’s so much heart in this film.

• 

  Review by Taylor Heider ★★★½ 4

  I think going into this sequel to The Woman with low expectations helped a lot with my enjoyment of it. It's not a perfect movie, but I really loved the Darlin' character and her story here. It's pretty light on horror elements until the ending, instead opting for dramatics as Darlin' is rehabilitated by a religious convent, but the ending that we get is very satisfying. I don't know, I don't get why everyone disliked this so much!

• 

  Review by cherryz ★★★½

  The Woman wanted the best for her Darlin, Darlin helped her afterall. Get her in the hossie as The Woman has had experience of pregnancies not going too well.

  Alas it goes awry and Darlin ends up being taken on as a PR project for the Catholic church (pray the devil out if her)...and a gold star project for the letchy Bishop.

  I really enjoyed this chapter in The Woman's story. Well done Pollyanna.

• 

  Review by babadyke ★★★★½ 4

  POLLYANNA MCINTOSH HAS THE RANGE!!

  this was MILES above both of its predecessors and i loved every second of it. with a slightly different ending and less heterosexuality i would've given it 5 stars. polyanna mcintoshs love for the characters is palpable and the surprising tenderness brings the story to life. also proving its possible to make a point about womens treatment without just showing women being abused on screen for two hours. the credit song SLAPPED.

• 

  Review by Tino Hahn ★½ 1

  Völlig frustrierender Mischmasch aus Overacting, Kirchenkritik, sozialem Kommentar zu einfach allen aktuellen Themen außer Klimawandel und Artikel 13 - mit ihrem Regiedebüt hat sich Pollyanna McIntosh mächtig verhoben.

  Gorehounds brauchen sich auch keine Hoffnungen darauf machen, dass Darlin' in die Fußstapfen von The Woman tritt - was umso ironischer ist, weil die ersten Minuten des Films nichts anderes als Fußstapfen zeigen und bereits erahnen lassen, wie verkrampft hier versucht wird, eine lose Aneinanderreihung wackliger Szenen mit Bedeutung aufzublasen. Denn bei Darlin' gibt es alles immer mitten in die Fresse rein - außer in den wenigen Gore-Szenen. Dazu gesellt sich noch (unfreiwilliger?) Humor, der jedes bisschen mühsam aufgebaute Atmosphäre gleich wieder einreißt.

  Darlin' ist nur deshalb leidlich interessant, weil der Film…

• 

  Review by Krautsalat ★★★½

  Fantasy Film Fest 2019: Film #27
  Hooptober 2019: Bonus film #35

  God, a man of god, should be the one who draws first blood and breaks her into obedience.

  Pollyanna McIntosh's sequel to The Woman is 20% slasher, 80% coming of age drama and 100% middle finger to the church.

• 

  Review by Heather Santrous ★★★ 3

  I got this movie in a HorrorPack box and jumped right into it without a second thought. I paused it about midway through in order to check on the name of an actor and discovered that this is actually the third movie in a series that I haven't watched. Since I wasn't having any trouble following the plot, I went ahead with watching the rest of the movie. I realize I'm missing some backstory.

  Even though I don't really see myself as a religious person, this was an interesting story. The story has a lot of quirky characters in it which added to its being interesting to me. While I understand the story was about Darlin', I do wish it…

• 

  Review by André Hecker ★½

  ↓ English version below ↓

  Im Programm des Fantasy Filmfest 2019

  Mit Darlin' findet die Trilogie, die einst mit Offspring (basierend auf Jack Ketchums Beutegier) begann, ihr jähes Ende. Diesmal sitzt zudem "The Woman" höchstpersönlich auf dem Regiestuhl - Pollyanna McIntosh.

  Deren Sprössling, genannt Darlin, landet unfreiwillig in einem christlichen Jugendheim. Der Bischof dort wittert eine Chance sein Haus in gutem Licht dar stehen zu lassen, wenn er die wilde zähmt und dies als Gottes Werk verkauft. Doch ihre menschenfressende Mutter ist schon auf der Suche nach ihr.

  Klingt im Kern gar nicht verkehrt, ist aber in der Ausführung extrem holprig und vor allem Klischee beladen. Die Kirchenkritik kommt mit dem Holzhammer und das nicht mal sonderlich effektiv. Heile Fassade…