Review of Outcast (2010) by Walter M — 05 Feb 2013

In "Outcast," Cathal(James Nesbitt) has struck a deal to get powerful tattoos for his hunt, along with assistance and guidance from Liam(Ciaran McMenamin) but the laird(James Cosmo) draws the line at talking to the dead. Meanwhile, Mary(Kate Dickie) decorates the new apartment she shares with her teenage son Fergal(Niall Bruton) with sigils that include some of her own blood. As a protective mother, she warns him about the dangers of the opposite sex but to no avail when he meets Petronella(Hanna Stanbridge) and her brother Tomatsk(Josh Whitelaw) before being introduced to Ally(Karen Gillan) at the swings.

Yes, yes, I know you have been down the path of supernatural hormonal teenagers plenty of times before but "Outcast" overcomes that tired old formula, not only due to the quality performances of its leads, but also because of its creepy atmosphere.(There is some gore here for those interested in that sort of thing.) In fact, the magic and the reality of the council estates provide a neat juxtaposition, in showing how much has been forgotten over the years and just lurking beneath the surface. Another way of looking at this setting is as a trap for young people, as apparently there are an endless amount of ways for parents to screw up their kids.