Latest news with #JuliaMax
Geek Vibes Nation
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
‘The Surrender' (2025) Review – A Slow-Burning Descent Into Familial Dread
The Surrender is a quietly unsettling meditation on grief, memory, and the uncomfortable weight of family ties. At first glance, it may appear to follow a familiar path—mourning characters dabbling in dark rituals to bring back a loved one—but what lies beneath is a study of loss and emotional unraveling that builds slowly, then erupts with eerie, surreal intensity. While it borrows from classic genre frameworks, director Julia Max infuses the story with enough emotional specificity and character-driven tension to make her debut feel intimate and personal. At the center of the film are Megan (Colby Minifie) and Barbara (Kate Burton), a daughter and mother pulled together by the recent death of Robert, the family patriarch. But the real horror here isn't just in the occult; it's in what's left unsaid between these two women. The death is only the catalyst. What unfolds is a slow exposure of deeply rooted resentment, miscommunication, and emotional isolation. Barbara, reeling from the loss of her husband, becomes consumed with the idea of reversing death through mystical means. Megan, more grounded and scientific in her worldview, is torn between disbelief, duty, and her own unresolved relationship with both of her parents. Colby Minifie & Kate Burton in Julia Max's THE SURRENDER. Courtesy of Cailin Yatsko. A Shudder Release. This clash of perspectives—rationality versus belief, control versus surrender—is the emotional core of the film. What works particularly well is how The Surrender never turns Barbara into a villain or Megan into a martyr. Both women are flawed, grieving in ways that conflict with one another, and neither has the tools to bridge the gap between them. It's in these quiet, tense moments—more than the supernatural sequences—that the film becomes genuinely chilling. Julia Max's direction favors a deliberate, almost glacial pace, which may frustrate some viewers. But it's this same pacing that allows grief to linger and fester onscreen, unflinching in its heaviness. The film rarely offers relief. Even in its quieter moments, there's a constant undercurrent of dread—not just about what's happening, but what has already happened. The past is never far from the surface. Through carefully constructed flashbacks and dreamlike memory fragments, we see how Megan has both idealized and misunderstood her father, and how Barbara's identity has become dangerously tethered to her role as a wife. Much of the film's strength lies in its performances. Colby Minifie captures the fraught, restless energy of a daughter trying to stay afloat while drowning in guilt. Kate Burton, meanwhile, gives Barbara a stoic, brittle edge—her desperation to fix what's been broken is palpable, even as it pushes her to terrifying extremes. Their dynamic is never theatrical, but always raw. Every argument, every silence, carries the weight of years of unresolved pain. Colby Minifie, Pete Ploszek, and Alaina Pollack in Julia Max's THE SURRENDER. Courtesy of Cailin Yatsko. A Shudder Release. What's especially compelling is how The Surrender plays with the idea of memory—how it's shaped, distorted, and weaponized. Megan's childhood recollections of her father are warm, but as the film progresses, those moments are complicated by new revelations and haunting symbols. It's not just about grieving who someone was—it's about reconciling who they really were. In this way, the horror becomes internalized, as Megan is forced to confront not just her father's death, but her own complicity in a family dynamic built on silence and sacrifice. The ritual that drives the film's plot is suitably eerie, filled with cryptic instructions and ambiguous consequences. It's a clever metaphor for the psychological hoops we jump through to avoid accepting loss. But while the third act delivers on surreal, skin-crawling imagery, the real impact comes from the emotional fallout. The horror is not just what comes back, but what it reveals. Neil Sandilands and Colby Minifie in Julia Max's THE SURRENDER. Courtesy of Cailin Yatsko. A Shudder Release. Not every idea in The Surrender lands. There are hints of a broader commentary about gender roles, caregiving, and how women often carry the burden of emotional labor in silence. But these themes are more gestured at than deeply explored. Still, even in its ambiguity, there's something deeply resonant about the film's refusal to neatly resolve its characters or its questions. The Surrender may not satisfy viewers looking for jump scares or gore. It's not a film that seeks to startle, but to haunt—to leave you sitting with thoughts about your own family, your own memories, and the things we carry forward from those who raised us. It's slow, somber, and emotionally heavy, but in those qualities lies its power. For those willing to sit with its grief, it offers something rare: a horror film less concerned with what's hiding in the dark, and more interested in what we refuse to face in the light. The Surrender is currently available to stream on Shudder.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
SXSW-Bound Supernatural Horror ‘The Surrender' Boarded by Blue Finch (EXCLUSIVE)
U.K. sales and distribution outfit Blue Finch Films has acquired worldwide sales rights to 'The Surrender,' a supernatural horror feature marking the directorial debut of Julia Max. The chiller is set to make its world premiere at SXSW as part of the fest's Midnighter section. Colby Minifie ('The Boys') and Emmy nominee Kate Burton ('Grey's Anatomy') topline the cast alongside Neil Sandilands ('Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes') in this supernatural tale that explores grief through horror. More from Variety Motion Picture Association Plans SXSW Sessions on Global Location Shoots, Digital Piracy and the Future of Filmmaking Supernatural Horror 'Bury the Devil,' Shot in One Take, Lands at Blue Finch for Global Sales (EXCLUSIVE) SXSW 2025 Lineup: Seth Rogen, Blake Lively, Jacob Elordi, Jenna Ortega, Ben Affleck, Nicole Kidman and More The film follows a fraught mother-daughter relationship put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies. The grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to resurrect her husband, but as the brutal resurrection spirals out of control, both women must confront their differences while fighting for their lives — and each other. Max not only helmed the project but also penned the script and produced alongside Mia Chang ('It Follows'), Lovell Holder ('Lavender Men'), Ian McDonald ('Woman of the Hour') and Robert J. Ulrich ('The Boys'). Susan Gelb ('The Howling'), Adam Maffei ('Griffin in Summer') and Rob Massar ('Peak Season') serve as executive producers. 'I am thrilled to partner with Blue Finch in bringing a story that is so incredibly personal for me to audiences around the world, and it's a real honor to begin that journey at SXSW in March,' said Max. The acquisition bolsters Blue Finch's international slate, which also includes Berlinale title 'Lesbian Space Princess' and SXSW selection 'Redux Redux' from the filmmakers behind 'The Block Island Sound.' The company's slate also includes horror title '825 Forest Road' from the 'Hell House LLC' creative team, Sitges winner 'Zero' from Jean Luc Herbulot and Indonesian horror 'The Draft!,' which played at Fantastic Fest. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
SXSW-Bound Supernatural Horror ‘The Surrender' Boarded by Blue Finch (EXCLUSIVE)
U.K. sales and distribution outfit Blue Finch Films has acquired worldwide sales rights to 'The Surrender,' a supernatural horror feature marking the directorial debut of Julia Max. The chiller is set to make its world premiere at SXSW as part of the fest's Midnighter section. Colby Minifie ('The Boys') and Emmy nominee Kate Burton ('Grey's Anatomy') topline the cast alongside Neil Sandilands ('Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes') in this supernatural tale that explores grief through horror. More from Variety Motion Picture Association Plans SXSW Sessions on Global Location Shoots, Digital Piracy and the Future of Filmmaking Supernatural Horror 'Bury the Devil,' Shot in One Take, Lands at Blue Finch for Global Sales (EXCLUSIVE) SXSW 2025 Lineup: Seth Rogen, Blake Lively, Jacob Elordi, Jenna Ortega, Ben Affleck, Nicole Kidman and More The film follows a fraught mother-daughter relationship put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies. The grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to resurrect her husband, but as the brutal resurrection spirals out of control, both women must confront their differences while fighting for their lives — and each other. Max not only helmed the project but also penned the script and produced alongside Mia Chang ('It Follows'), Lovell Holder ('Lavender Men'), Ian McDonald ('Woman of the Hour') and Robert J. Ulrich ('The Boys'). Susan Gelb ('The Howling'), Adam Maffei ('Griffin in Summer') and Rob Massar ('Peak Season') serve as executive producers. 'I am thrilled to partner with Blue Finch in bringing a story that is so incredibly personal for me to audiences around the world, and it's a real honor to begin that journey at SXSW in March,' said Max. The acquisition bolsters Blue Finch's international slate, which also includes Berlinale title 'Lesbian Space Princess' and SXSW selection 'Redux Redux' from the filmmakers behind 'The Block Island Sound.' The company's slate also includes horror title '825 Forest Road' from the 'Hell House LLC' creative team, Sitges winner 'Zero' from Jean Luc Herbulot and Indonesian horror 'The Draft!,' which played at Fantastic Fest. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
