SLOWLY BURNING THE VOTIVE CANDLE AS THE EUCHARIST TURNS BAD- THE NETFLIX LIMITED SERIES: MIDNIGHT MASS

The Netflix limited series Midnight Mass has all the hallmarks of a great horror story. A small, devoutly catholic community residing on a somewhat sheltered island that have been deeply impacted by financial adversity and a paling of identity amongst its populace. Their monsignor has gone on a spiritual pilgrimage to the Holy Land and a young, enigmatic priest arrives to substitute in his absence. Add to this, the return of former local Riley Flynn (Zac Guilford of Friday Night Lights fame), fresh from his prison release after serving four years of a sentence for drunk driving resulting in the death of a young woman.

Created by Mike Flanagan of The Haunting Of Hill House acclaim, the show takes a some duration to find it’s feet. The first two episodes are mostly dedicated to introducing the townsfolk and it feels more like a dramatized parable stuck in a time-warp than a horror. The dialogue is a little long-winded and excessive and, many of the characters seem almost needless and banal. Having said this, when the narrative actually begins to accelerate, the tension advances and that prolonged sense of unease becomes full blown madness.

The sanctimoniously pious Bev Keene, played by Samantha Sloyan (Leigh Crain in The Haunting of Hill House) fulfils the role of villain sublimely and delivers a show-stealing performance with a character that viewers will love to hate. Hamish Linklater is exceptional as Father Paul, disappearing into the physicality of a charismatic evangelist delivering the word of the lord with a bewitching authenticity. He beguiles the Crockett Island congregation with assurance and presents himself as an approachable yet divine beacon of faith, bringing a much needed salvation to the wounded community.

Another Haunting of Hill House alumni Kate Siegel gives a mentionable performance as Erin Green, the childhood sweetheart of Riley Flynn who has also returned to the island in need of some healing. She is pregnant and without a spouse, and rekindles her affection for Riley as the two engage in what can only be described as a tedious relationship that is primarily centred on professions of of regret, divulging their sins and hypothesis of the afterlife. Though their bond is real, their interactions feel sort of mechanical at times, especially early on. With the unravelling of the sinister, albeit fairly predictable ( it was for me) plot, we realize the two aren’t fated for happily ever after and the significance of Erin’s purpose then emerges.

The supernatural element of the story was foreseeable and perhaps a little lackluster. The ‘angel’ that Father Paul encounters and brings to the people of Crockett Island is undeniably a vampire, which is evident from the moment it lunges at the monsignor in the cave and drinks his blood. As it returns him to his younger self, he has been blessed by God’s messenger and must bestow such a miracle on the people he knows are in need. Admittedly, the creature is impressive in stature and would easily horrify anyone it confronted, but for me, it was emblematic. It felt a little too subdued and I craved something as primordial in nature as it was in appearance.

For those who are looking for a good scare, Midnight Mass might not be your best option. The mood is eerie as opposed to scary, and though there are some gruesome moments that might upset the squeamish, it’s not quite a ‘splatterfest’. It’s dark, ominous  and fairly grim. If you are interested in watching something that’s shot beautifully, has some incredible performances and coerces you to contemplate some heavy material, then persevere with this series. Though it left me feeling a little unsatisfied, I still actually quite enjoyed it.