Title: Shepherd

Director: Russell Owen

Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes

Watched via: VOD rental

Russell Owen’s Shepherd is a tense psychological slow burn that sneaks up on you.

Shepherd focuses on Eric Black (Tom Hughes) in the aftermath of his wife’s untimely passing. In order to escape from everything and find solitude, Eric accepts a job as a Shepherd on a remote island. After saying goodbye to his mother (Greta Scacchi), Eric and his dog, Baxter, are ferried out to the island by Fisher (Kate Dickie). Once on the island, Eric begins to lose his grip on reality as he tries to deal with the demons of his past.

The music from Callum Donaldson sets an eerie and ominous tone that makes you uneasy and keeps you on edge throughout. Cinematography from Richard Stoddard captures breathtaking landscapes while also painting a picture of just how isolated and alone Eric is on the island.

While we have all seen the story of one man’s decent into madness, the setting helps it feel more unique. Tom Hughes’ ability to make you feel sympathy for Eric is key. It is because of his performance that we are able to have a vested interest in Eric’s outcome and well-being. Despite what the spiral into madness may reveal, you want to see Eric come out the other side of it.

If you are in the mood for a slow burn psychological thriller, I recommend Shepherd.

Currently Shepherd is available to rent for free on Hoopla and is a $6.99 rental on Apple, Amazon, Redbox, Vudu, etc.

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