#horror – #horrormovies – #horrorreviews – #LegendOfTheMuse –
Director: John Burr
Writer: John Burr
Starring: Riley Egan, Elle Evans, Kate Mansi
“Romantic horror.” There, I said it. I know that when I personally think of the concept of romantic horror, aside from a few exceptions images conjure in my brain of leather-clad vampires a-la early 90s era Cinemax. Maybe it’s a very close-minded point of view (and I can readily admit that it is) but I have never been able to really wrap my mind around something heartfelt also being overtly gory.
Then I sat down and watched Legend Of The Muse. I feel like this movie is what the Lifetime Channel would be trying to accomplish in a supernatural movie, only this is successful. It doesn’t feel cheesy aesthetically speaking. The mood and feeling don’t feel forced; rather they set an atmosphere that most people would actually be able to identify with.
Adam lives what seems to be a mildly tortured life in the city. He’s a struggling artist, who is barely able to make rent. All-in-all he’s a relatively introverted guy. This changes when Hector, a brash neighbor in his building, essentially tricks him into driving him to what becomes a botched drug deal. On the way home, they not only discover the other party in their product exchange, but a mysterious and beautiful woman. The encounter is short-lived as the pair hastily makes their way back home.
Once back in his apartment, Adam begins seeing visions of what he later finds out is a Leannán Sídhe, a figure in Irish folklore said to take a lover and inspire him (similar to the Muses of ancient Greek mythology). Adam is warned that the Leannán Sídhe will make a man die fast yet happy, while taking its greatest toll on those around him. Essentially, she is a beautiful spirit with the possessive nature of a high school girl.
Slowly, as Adam’s success as an artist increases, the Leannán Sídhe reveals the lengths she is willing to go to in order to keep Adam’s love for herself. While his popularity in the art world is on an upward trend, so too is the body count around him.
There’s a very real feel to this movie. I felt like I could place myself in Adam’s shoes and feel his initial despondency, followed by his rapid growth in confidence, ending with his spiral back down from the top. The acting overall gave each character a level of depth that seems like it would be hard to emote in a “romantic horror.”
Another great aspect of this film is the soundtrack/score. Even during scenes that were less horror movie and more Titanic, the background keeps the viewer grounded in the fact that yes, this is still a horror movie nonetheless.
Overall, I would definitely watch this movie again. From wonderfully executed cinematography to the beautiful Elle Evans, Legend Of The Muse is a wonderfully told story that can have a happy OR sad ending.
Oh, and Hector is SUCH a dick.
Rating: 7/10