A baby in a basket is left on the steps of an isolated monastery on a Scottish island. The nuns take it in, planning to care for it until a storm passes. Soon though, strange and unexplained events begin to happen at the convent.
Director: Andy Crane, Nathan Shepka
Cast: Amber Doig-Thorne, Michaela Longden, Elle O’Hara, Lisa Riesner, Nathan Shepka, Annabelle Lanyon, Maryam d’Abo and Paul Barber
Release Date: February 17, 2025
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Unrated
Runtime: 1h 40m
Review:
The Baby in the Basket does its best to emulate 70's style religious horror films by focusing more on the psychological aspect of terror instead of outright gore but it's ultimately held back due to its lackluster execution. It’s easy to appreciate what directors Andy Crane and Nathan Shepka, the latter of which also stars, are trying to achieve with their film that takes bits and pieces of classic horror films like1976's The Omen and 1973's Don't Look Now. The script gives them plenty to work with as the majority of the film's story focuses on the character’s mental state as they slowly fall victim to supernatural forces. The script smartly moves from one character to another as the central point of view to give the entire film an off kilter, unbalanced feel since we are not quite sure who the main character is since the focus shifts at various points during the film. It gives each member of the cast a chance to shine with Elle O'Hara and Lisa Riesner carrying the load early on before Amber Doig-Thorne and Michaela Longden take over the spotlight. Together they make for a solid ensemble especially early on when they share the screen together, something the film should have taken advantage to give each nun a more time to develop well defined characterizations. Elle O'Hara does a lot of heavy lifting in the first half of the film as earnestly devoted Valerie who is trying desperately to understand what is going on after the titular baby arrives. Amber Doig-Thorne moves into center stage midway through the film with a fun, energetic and ultimately crazed turn as Agnes. Doig-Thorne's gives the film a boost once she's unleashed only to be matched by the scene stealing Michaela Longden as Eleanor. Longden stands out every time she's onscreen with her naturalistic verve that leaves you wondering why she's kept offscreen for the entire middle portion of the film. Her chaotic, adversarial energy would have given the film a definite boost across the board. It’s compounded by some clunky pacing issues that never allow anything to naturally settle before moving on. Shooting on location at Scotland's St Conan’s Kirk also should have been a boost but the film rarely takes full advantage of its gothic backdrop. There's are plenty of moments during The Baby in the Basket that feel as if they are heading toward a crescendo only to fumble the moments with some coming off as more silly than scary despite the best efforts of the script and cast.
C
