Since I started reviewing films, years ago, I have come to know Cult Epics as one of the best distributors of genre flicks; Everything from sound and picture quality to packaging and bonus features are top-notch on the few releases I own from them. With that said, I assumed I couldn’t go wrong by adding another of their releases to my collection. My latest Cult Epics acquisition is Agustí Villaronga’s Moon Child.
Generally, I utilize the second paragraph in my reviews as a way to share the summary of the film in question with all of you. Because I don’t think I can do a better job than IMDB this time around, I will just share what they have provided as a synopsis: “Adopted by a treacherous semi-scientific cult where extraordinary mental powers are common, extraordinary 12-year-old David begins an archetypal journey across two continents to find his destiny as Child of the Moon.”
I went into Moon Child not knowing anything about it, other than that synopsis I have just copied. It sounded interesting enough and with Cult Epics’ untarnished reputation up until this point, I figured I’d be in for one hell of a treat. In some ways I was — the film looks wonderful, as CE has once again outdone themselves on picture and audio remastering from the film’s original 35mm negative, the acting was more-than-competent from all parties, and the soundtrack by the band Dead Can Dance fit the style and feel of the film perfectly. The only problem I have with all of this is I’m not quite sure what exactly the style and the feel of this movie was…
I can’t remember the last time I was more confused during the viewing of a film. I mean, I know what was happening throughout the film’s two-hour runtime, but I couldn’t quite understand why. Moon Child is said to be inspired by infamous occultist, Aleister Crowley and his novel from 1923 of the same name. Due to that fact, I was expecting some pretty dark themes with heavy occult influences. Boy, was I way off!
I am not sure how to classify Moon Child, as it is certainly not horror, it isn’t quite fantasy nor drama. Hell, there is no one genre that can house this film at all really. It is about a cult, but this cult is not one of any terrible malevolence; they are simply trying to create the perfect conditions in which they can conceive a “Child of the Moon.” No harm there, right? At least I don’t think so.
If you are familiar with the work of Aleister Crowley or are a diehard Cult Epics fan who just needs to own and watch all of their releases, Moon Child is a great watch for you. In theory, you should enjoy it much more than I have. If you are looking for something dark and mysterious or at all in the horror realm, however, this one is not for you.
You can decide for yourself by picking up a copy of the film on Blu-ray and DVD, available now from Cult Epics. The home release includes a photo gallery, isolated score tracks, and a new interview with the film’s creator, Agustí Villaronga.
I give Moon Child 1 poison-tipped blow dart out of 5.
