Film Review: The Vigil

The Vigil is a horror film from writer/director, Kieth Thomas, marking his his feature debut. The title refers to a Jewish ritual that involves people called “shomers” taking shifts to watch the body of a recently deceased member of the community around the clock while reciting Pslams as a way to protect the souls from evil. These shomers can be close relatives or paid shomen, the latter of which is the case for the film’s lead, Yakov (Dave Davis), an awkward guy who is not in the best financial situation and seems to be troubled by something that happened in his past.

He’s asked by Reb Shulem (Menashe Lustig) to be the shomer for a man in Boro Park, Brooklyn, where his widow, Mrs. Litvak (Lynn Cohen) is still residing. Yakov reluctantly accepts the job, and goes to the house to settle for the night, watching over the body. However, it doesn’t take long before things take a turn for the strange, from the brief appearances of shadowy figures in the dark to flickering lights to Mrs. Litvak’s bizarre behavior, implying she might know more about what exactly is going on than she initially presented. Things escalate fast, and it won’t let Yakov leave.

When it comes to supernatural horror, Christianity has placed a firm grasp on the genre when it comes to providing the reference points. The Vigil being rooted in a Jewish practice brings a different perspective that makes for a more fresh take on an otherwise well worn genre, even if a lot of the techniques and plot beats don’t steer too far from the things we would see in any other mainstream horror film. There are a few missed opportunities to lean in on the Jewish faith, especially since Yakov has lost his faith after experiencing a tragedy, but it doesn’t place enough emphasis on that.

The scares are a bit of a mixed bag. I think Thomas does a fairly decent job of creating a sense of dread that is amplified by a terrific score from Michael Yezerski, even if certain moments results in the music overpowering things. There are a number of jump scares here, some of them work well by building up tension before paying it off, but others come out of nowhere and rely heavily on loud noises. It is disappointing because a lot of the film seems to be aiming higher than these kind of filmmaking clichés.

Dave Davis carries the film well, given how much of the film he spends on his own. He adds a lot of emotional weight and depth in a role that doesn’t otherwise provide enough context for his state of being on paper. The flashbacks are minimal, but are devoid of the kind of details that should get you to connect. I’m not sure why they wanted to keep a lot of it a mystery for a significant period. Lynn Cohen doesn’t have a lot to do, but she does very well in adding to the surreal atmosphere.

The Vigil has its moments, and a lot of that comes from when it leans on the Jewish identity and Yakov’s journey to find his faith in the face of demonic evil. It doesn’t generally break the overall formula of a horror film about demonic infestations, and it features some jump scares that don’t totally work. However, there is genuine atmosphere to be found here, and Keith Thomas’ work with cinematographer, Zach Kuperstein, manages to create some effectively creepy imagery and well staged sequences. There are some fascinating ideas at play; I really dig Dave Davis’ performance, which gives the film some much needed heart, and while certain elements don’t come together as strong, it’s a compelling genre exercise with a fresh point-of-view.

The Vigil is now out in select theaters and VOD platforms.