If you have seen "Wicker Man" and "Midsommar", you know the formula of folk horror. You do not expect any surprising plot twists. You kind of expect human sacrifice in the end. You expect the charismatic cult leader, the disgruntled populace that looks up to him, the one-dimensional female seductress. You expect the nosy investigator on the quest to walk into the lion's mouth. The originality of "Darklands" is in the setting and style. Instead of lush European countryside, the movie is set in a postindustrial, almost post-apocalyptic, urban wasteland, where old quaint churches and abandoned factories exist side by side. The esthetic is vaguely reminiscent of Mad Max. Overall, it's a worthy addition to your pagan horror collection.
