A bizarre horror film featuring mysterious creatures is climbing the Netflix streaming charts, currently ranking fourth on the platform's top ten. Directed by Jon Wright and starring Hannah John-Kamen, Douglas Booth, and Colm Meaney, the movie follows a young couple who flee London for the Irish countryside after a tragedy. However, they soon discover that the locals are unfriendly and something strange lurks at the bottom of their garden. The couple is warned to leave an offering every night for the Red Caps living in the forest, or face trouble. When they forget, the Red Caps become hostile.
Critical Reception and Praise for Practical Effects
While critics were not universally thrilled, Unwelcome holds a respectable 63% on Rotten Tomatoes. Ellen E Jones of The Guardian described it as 'Straw Dogs meets Fraggle Rock,' calling it an 'enjoyably unpretentious Irish-ish folk horror.' John Nugent of Empire magazine praised the use of practical effects, stating, 'In the CGI era, practical effects are fast becoming a lost cinematic art. On that basis alone, we should be grateful for Unwelcome.'
Audience Reactions
Audiences have also been impressed. On IMDb, user Speepin_Dragon called it 'bizarrely watchable,' noting its mix of horror and comedy. Another user, sbcxynkt, added, 'It quickly becomes a beautiful-looking but slightly creepy fairy tale, before becoming a silly, violent black comedy. I loved it all.' The Red Caps themselves have been described as both horrifying and endearing, with one reviewer comparing them to 'Baby Yoda if he were designed by your edgiest friend.'
Weirdest Movie Monsters
To celebrate Unwelcome's success, Deputy Editor Tom Percival highlighted some of the weirdest movie monsters, including The Blob and The Thing. The Thing, in particular, is noted for its shape-shifting abilities, becoming a dog-human-crab hybrid. Unwelcome is now streaming on Netflix.
