The Morrigan

Apr 09, 2026 Horror · 96 minutes that feels longer due to uneven pacing between slow mythology and rushed scares.
Early disappointment
4.2/10
IMDb
2.56/5
Letterboxd
🎬
4.0/10
TMDB
Rewatch
one and done
Attention
full focus
Phone-check
medium

The brief

Eastwood's Irish horror feels like it wants to be a serious folk horror meditation but keeps tripping over generic supernatural thriller beats. Saffron Burrows does her best as the desperate mother, but the script saddles her with clunky exposition dumps about Celtic mythology that kill any creeping dread. The pacing lurches between slow-burn setup and sudden bursts of unconvincing CGI mayhem, never finding its groove. If you're craving atmospheric Celtic scares, rewatch The Ritual or A Dark Song instead - this one's for completists of Irish-set horror only.

celtic mythology mother-daughter tension archaeological dread pagan folklore uneven pacing irish countryside supernatural possession

The verdict

If you're a devoted fan of Irish folklore horror who can overlook clunky execution for Celtic mythology elements, this delivers enough supernatural atmosphere to scratch that specific itch. If you expect polished scares or coherent pacing from your horror films, skip this muddled effort and watch The Ritual or A Dark Song instead.

Watch with

  • 👥 Horror fans seeking Celtic mythology themes
  • ⚠️ Skip if you want polished scares

Heads up

  • Supernatural possession of a teenager (moderate)
  • Jump scares and sudden horror imagery (moderate)
  • Ancient tomb disturbance and occult themes (moderate)
  • Child in supernatural peril throughout (frequent)

Credits

Director
Colum Eastwood
Cast
Saffron Burrows, James Cosmo, Emily Flain, Art Parkinson, Jonathan Forbes, Michael Shea, Sean Kearns
Official synopsis

Follows an archaeologist who travels to Ireland to uncover a long-dead tomb. A threat is released and she will

The Double

Make a night of it
Poster for Rakkhosh

Pair this with Rakkhosh (2026)

Both explore supernatural entities threatening families through ancient folklore.

Total runtime: 1h 36m + 2h 21m = 3h 57m

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