Bleak, moody, dark and disturbing epitomise the brand new horror film 'Herman', a frightful indie feature that teases the viewer with unexplainable forces as the fantastical horror slowly unravels. In the director's chair for his feature debut is actor and filmmaker Andrew Vogel, who, together with lead actors Colin Ward and Lawson Greyson, captures a haunting essence and a confrontational reality. The film follows a mountain recluse (Ward), whose torment from a dark force has driven him to lock himself away in the middle of nowhere as he prepares to put an end to his misery. However, late one night, he receives an unexpected knock at the door, forcing him to confront his eerie past.
Herman begins with Ward, playing the film's namesake character, who appears as a solemn older man living a somewhat sequestered and lonely lifestyle. Whilst the opening takes a whistlestop tour of his isolated cabin and daily, rural routine, what becomes increasingly apparent is a deep sadness that sees Herman preparing to take his own life. However, all of this dejecting melancholy is soon plunged into an eerie blackness when a harrowing image of a young wounded woman (Greyson) calling his name reveals itself. Akin to the psychological horror 'You'll Never Find Me' (2023), where the past and reality merge to become a psychological weapon, Herman continuously strives to dress its narrative in a cloak of mystery, forcing the viewer, along with Herman, to slowly puzzle together the horror at hand. As such, the film becomes a labyrinth of confrontation, where intricate details eventually fall into place, revealing a horrifying picture.
