User reviews

There is very slow buid up. Plus the suspense they want to create that is also not engaging. I need 4 days to compete it !!

Still completed with skipping. There is only violence. No horror or no paranormal activity. You cannot make movie horrific by only using violence. Story is also boring and strange. Can't grip your audience. The actress did well with acting. What's with the well ??? There is better well in "Ring" movie. Here only cutting body parts makes you scare ! No scare also only feel weird. Expected good story but cannot match with even poster also. Only the tent scene is little scary.

It's like lemonade. Little substance.

Were it not for the annoying sickening gore, it would be something to leave on in the background and occasionally glance up at.

With the gore you can't even do that.

Not once does it make you feel horrified, terrified, or thrilled in any way, and it doesn't grip you with intrigue, characters, or plot. You feel calm and occasionally disgusted. If the genre was called "disgust" instead of "horror" it would make sense. This way however, it's just not well made. If you want to watch gore go look at a slaughterhouse.

The cinematography is basic, the acting ok, the audio between irritating and incomprehensible. At one point a character repeatedly calls out for "tony". And i could have sworn it was "charlie"

It got 4 stars, because while it is nauseating and pointless, it isn't actively evil and damaging, and the plot is actually somewhat interesting.

Terrible, in every way. A non-existent film direction, embarrassing dubbing and a stupid script. They try to quote the Italian horror of the 80s but they end up trashy, the soundtrack is ridiculous to say the least and used at the wrong times. The only positive things are the protagonist's acting and the gore scenes. The rest is rubbish unfortunately. We see the passion for the genre but we don't see the talent or any other artistic ambition, this is not the Italian horror we need. Furthermore, it must be underlined that all the influencers who talk about cinema and who have expressed negative opinions and sensible criticisms on the film have been accused of incompetence by the film's official Instagram account. Except the director who accepted them. Shameful, that's not how cinema is made.

As an Italian I am really happy for this film, finally an Italian horror shot well and with extraordinary special effects thanks to my friend Carlo Diamantini, national pride, one of the best make-up artists ever and my fellow countryman who invited me to the preview of this film and also introduced me to the director Federico Zampaglione (who confirms that he has a certain talent when it comes to horror) and a couple of cast members, including Lorenzo Renzi who I had already appreciated in the Amazing TV series "Romanzo Criminale".

About The Well, I can say that we are faced with an exquisitely old school product, with monsters and blood and a very suggestive final scene, Zampaglione has great mastery with the camera and knows the old Italian horror classics, especially Argento and Fulci. As an Italian, horror lover and friend of Diamantini I tell everyone to run to the theater and enjoy this little jewel full of gore and violence!!!

Terrible movie! Awful movie, under every single aspect.

Directing is absent.

Photography is bad, with out of focus scenes and sets that looks like a cheesy 70s horror movie. (It's not an homage: it's just done very badly).

Everyone in the theather was laughing hard about the terrible.

Plot is completely nonsense, with many narrative holes and missing explanations.

Special effects are "movie school" level, and there is (in Italian) a ridicule dubbing that give to the movie the effect '90s soap-opera.

Only reason to watch this movie is to have fun with friends.

1 star only because I cannot give 0.

Federico Zampaglione's The Well is a chilling exploration of ancient curses and the darkness lurking beneath the surface of seemingly idyllic settings. The Italian filmmaker creates an unnerving atmosphere, layering the film in so much dread, you'll find yourself gripping the armrests in anticipation, even during its pitfalls.

The film follows Lisa Grey, a young art restorer, as she is commissioned to restore a medieval painting in the picturesque Italian village of Sambucci. What begins as a seemingly routine assignment soon unravels into a nightmare. As Lisa delves deeper into the painting's history, she becomes entangled in a web of malevolent forces and terrifying encounters.

Amongst the incredible creature design, one of the film's greatest strengths, lies in its atmospheric storytelling. It's an enchanting, eerie, atmospheric, gothic nightmare that lulls you into a hypnotic state. Zampaglione's direction is astute, creating a palpable sense of dread and unease throughout the film with ease. The haunting score, combined with the film's moody cinematography, immerses the viewer in a world of darkness and decay.

While the film's plot may seem familiar to fans of the horror genre, for the most part, The Well manages to offer a fresh take on the haunted house trope. The film's exploration of ancient curses and the supernatural elements add a layer of complexity that makes it all the more intriguing.

The performances in The Well are generally strong. Lauren LaVera delivers a convincing portrayal of Lisa, a woman caught between the beauty of art and the terrifying secrets it holds. The supporting cast also provides solid performances, adding depth and credibility to the film's characters.

However, The Well is not without its flaws. The pacing can be a little too slow in places, some of the plot developments may feel predictable and slightly underwritten. I personally wanted more lore, and scarier scares. Despite these minor shortcomings, The Well remains a chilling and unsettling cinematic experience. Its masterful direction, strong performances, and exploration of psychological horror make it a standout film in the genre. While it may not be a cinematic masterpiece, it's a well-crafted horror film that deserves to be watched.

When I read the synopsis, I thought:" great, finally a horror that isn't about some group of friends getting killed, or a family moving into a haunted house etc.". Well, sadly it doesn't deliver what it could have been.

The story starts with the main character, a painting restorator, travels to Italy for a (duh!) painting restoration job. Along te way she meets some guys, who are traveling to a different destination but end as prisoners in the same mansion.

Here it already starts to go wrong. The movie immediately descends into torture p0rn the moment those prisoners are shown, which distracts from the supernatural theme and add little to the story. And who is that fat inbred motherf'er walking down below ? Why is he wearing that goofy face paint ? He adds little to the story other than just being the person who carries out some mundane torture scenes.

The so-called well, that the movie is named after, actually plays a little negligible role in the whole scheme of things, and maybe a different title would be appropriate. The ending is a total letdown and anti-climax, with lackluster acting of nearly every character involved except maybe Lauren LaVera, who somewhat manages to carry the whole thing and make the best of it.

It's a shame, because this movie really had potential. Oh well, I'm sure all those low IQ gore hounds that infest the horror fan base will get some enjoyment out of this.

This was a movie that I learned about through friends going to FrightFest in London. I know that Kate and Duncan, both podcasters that I listen to saw this movie there. Now a selling point here was that this featured Lauren LaVera from Terrifier 2. This movie was on my radar so when I got the chance to see the screener thanks to Erika from Gold Dust PR, it jumped up on my list. Being a 2024 horror release also helped.

Synopsis: a budding art restorer travels to a small Italian village to bring a medieval painting back to its former glory. Little does she know she is placing her life in danger from an evil curse and a monster born of myth and brutal pain.

We start this in 1993. Lisa Gray (LaVera) is on a bus in Italy. Her father was a great restorer of paintings and she grew up learning from him. He has sent her to a remote village to help with the one from the synopsis. Now on this bus ride she meets another group of Americans. They are biologists and have someone to help with what they need. This group consists of Tracy (Taylor Zaudtke), Tony (Gianluigi Calvani) and Madison (Courage Oviawe). They get dropped at the same place and vow to meet up a few days later.

Lisa is waiting for another bus when she learns from Marcus (Jonathan Dylan King) that it is no longer in service. He offers to walk with her to show her where the place is. It just so happens that he works at the pub across the way. She then meets Baroness Emma (Claudia Gerini). She shows her the painting that needs restored. It was damaged by the fireplace below it. Time is short as they need it completed in days. Emma is putting her faith in Lisa, knowing how good her father is.

She goes about her work and soon uncovers the darkness of this painting's subject matter. Emma has a daughter of Giulia (Linda Zampaglione), who is shy. She tries to warn Lisa about what she is doing. There is also the concurrent running story of the group that she met on the bus. They're attacked by Arruda (Lorenzo Renzi) who brings them to Dorka (Melanie Gaydos). She is a strange looking person. Both seem to serve something that lives in the well. There's a much bigger plot going on here with time running short.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the story. Where I want to start is that this doesn't have the deepest story and it also isn't necessarily doing a lot new. What I will say though is that it has elements of things that I'm a fan of, so I roll with what it is giving us. There is a cult of people doing a ritual, a monster that might be harboring secrets and this goes to brutal places.

Now that I've set that up, let me delve into this more. This feels like it is borrowing elements of movies before it and making their own stitched together story. That isn't necessarily a bad thing though. There were just parts that were predictable to me. Thankfully, they weren't major things. It feels like it is borrowing from The House with Laughing Windows in that we are following someone coming to a remote place that has a history to restore a work of art. I do like the fact that Lisa is the daughter of a famous person in this field. Being that he is played by Giovanni Lombardo Radice made me smile as well. Her being an American in a remote village helps with that 'fish out of water' narrative. It is also a solid way to introduce that other group on the bus to the village. We meet them just Lisa is so it makes sense for the viewer and our character to get to know them.

Then there is the painting that needs to be restored. There is an evil presence to it. Part of that is with the creepy imaginary that Lisa reveals. The other part of it is that she cuts her finger while cleaning one spot, so that almost feels like the first blood sacrifice. The deeper we get into this, the more that you feel there is a dark reason why Emma needs this restored by the date she gives. The pressure is put on Lisa so I like the fact that she just can't leave. She will fail her father and miss out on making this large sum of money. The stakes feel real and build tension.

I'll then shift over to this dungeon where the other group are kept. This is where I wanted just a bit more. I don't understand why Arruda acts the way he does. I'm guessing he's just a mindless zombie-like henchman, but I needed just something more there. Dorka is also creepy looking and there is a bit of backstory that would help this as well. I do like revealing these characters and what is in the well through the painting. There is a classic idea that is incorporated in that I won't spoil. The ritual and eventually that there's a cult here piqued my interest.

Let me then shift over to the acting. LaVera was solid here. The two films with her in it that I've seen have impressed me so far. She has a good look about herself and I believe that she would be this art restorer. There's a strength that she conveys as it goes on while also seeming timid upon arriving that adds something. Gerini is good as this baroness. She gives off that arrogance with her title. She also seems to love her daughter while also having enough annoyance with things that she does. Zampaglione was good as that daughter. King, Renzi, Yassine Fadel, Zaudtke, Calvani and Oviawe were all solid. Gaydos has such a creepy look which is great. I also loved the cameo by Radice. There wasn't a bad performance here.

All that is left then is filmmaking. I'd say that the cinematography was good along with the framing. They capture the feel of the isolated village. Something else is that this is set in 93, which takes away the use of technology. There is also a specific reason for that year that worked. The best part though are the effects. They went practical and they look real. It goes brutal with things that happened. I loved the gore. Then going along with that, I thought the soundtrack fit was needed as did the sound design.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this movie. It has aspects that I love with a cult, ritual and a solid enough mystery. There were things that I guessed, plus it also feels like it is using story elements from other movies. The acting was good. LaVera leads the way with everyone pushing her to where she ends up. This is well-made with the effects leading the way. The cinematography and framing help to hide the seams while also building a good atmosphere. I might try to check this one out again before the end of the year to see where it ends up on that list.

My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

"The Well", is where "Hostel" meets "A Picture of Dorian Grey", and indeed with some old school Italian gore direction, a la Umberto Lenzi. I've been waiting for this one since Stieges 2023 and Zampaglione (Tulpa)'s direction did not disappoint. La Vera (Terrifier 2) carried her "final girl" crown well, though obviously in a more demure manner. The acting by the four prisoners was excellent and the cinematography was top notch. The story was a bit thin but the gore and other visual effects made up for it in spades. Zampaglione truly got right that which Rob Zombie usually buggers up. He even had a family member who could kinda act in the film.

OK, not the best acting but who cares? You don't go into a film like this expecting Oscar worthy performances. It's a good fun, gore fest of a movie. Yes the plot has a thousand holes in it, yes you can see where it's going and often predictable. I've rated this film 5 stars but I would've liked to give it a solid 8 but can't - It was released too late for that. If it came out in the 80s we'd have a real classic on our hands here because you can forgive older films for having pretty corny SFX. You expect that but in today's movie world you just can't get away with holding a spear under your arm trying to make it look like it's stuck in your abdomen. Kudos to the creators though for mostly working with old style gore and effects and very little CGI (which was pretty bad).

It's a very watchable film, have a laugh, let your toes curl and just go with it. Pretend it's an old film and you'll enjoy it. Go into this expecting a masterclass by today's standards and you'll be bitterly disappointed.

I didn't know anything about The Well before watching. I expected a very low-effort, straight-to-streaming horror movie that would be instantly forgettable. As it turned out, I was surprised at how much this film had going on.

First of all, I thought the story was plotted better than the average direct-to-video dissapointment. It mostly follows the main character, Lisa, who has a difficult task to complete. She's basically being haunted while staying in a mansion where she has an important job to finish. Even though she has some distressing experiences, we are given a good reason why she can't just up and leave. The movie also cuts back and forth between another set of characters who are being held captive, and for most of the movie, I was worried that the two plotlines might not fully interesect. However, everything eventually ties together, and we get a full resolution to all of the different elements that the movie introduced. That doesn't always happen in low-budget films. However, just because we aren't left hanging doesn't mean the story is necessarily all that great. I think a better director could have made something people would remember and tell others about. Even so, The Well is worth a watch if you're in the mood for a briskly paced supernatural horror film--as long as you aren't expecting anything above average.

I'm glad I watched it! It's a real shocker! Definitive, I'd say. Gore scenes are just EVERYTHING in this movie and I'm a bit disappointed they lasted a short time (about 10/15 mins I guess). I would have loved to see more and more. Thanks to the amazing special effects that made everything so real, bloody, filthy, disgusting, fierce and absolutely beautiful!! About the cast, I really need to mention the monster, so hard to be played. I have read somewhere it took like 6 hours make up to get done and the actor must surely be a super professional one, to stand all of it and then go and acting. As a result, Guron is amazing, scary, evil, demonic and ... something else you have to find out, watching The Well. (And I promise it's something absolutely brilliant!)

Arriving in a small town in Italy, a woman brought in to restore a damaged painting before a prestigious auction finds that a special significance in the painting might be the key to unlocking the truth behind a centuries-old curse affecting the house and races to stop it from happening.

This was a rather fun and enjoyable genre effort. One of the better elements here is the rather strong and intriguing setup that allows for a highly involved storyline to take place. Going with the overly familiar route of a stranger summoned to a place where a creepy legend is residing and getting mixed up in the shenanigans at work allows this one to go for a rather enjoyable time as the pieces start getting revealed as to what's going on with her arriving at the house to begin restoring the artwork in question. As more and more get repealed during the restoration and what it all means with these elements making more sense through the dreams and hallucinations she has, this begins unraveling involving ancient curses, a returning supernatural evil, and the denizens that are cursed to remain tied to the property which is what she's stumbled onto. Tied together with the secondary storyline involving the figures she met earlier who are kidnapped and held captive in the underground cell with the monstrous killer that provides some unsettling work throughout here. With this setup in play, the later hallucinations here involving the work on the painting as the whole thing continues getting more detailed over time, the different stories she hears from the residents of the estate about the true nature of what went on, and how everything comes together with the captives in the basement comes into a genuinely thrilling experience. Taking everything together with how the curse is involved and what the sacrificial victims are meant adds a fantastic depth and urgency to the finale where the fruits of her efforts are revealed and the different figures around her try to ensure everything happens as the figures responsible for the curse to start try to gruesomely take out those around her including the captives in what are some fantastic scenes as she races through the underground lair to take down these figures and rescue her trapped friends still inside. With this all taking place n a spectacularly Gothic-style setting with the mansion house where she's working coming complete with the requisite hidden passageways, secrets in the walls, and the gruesome remains of their experiences living in the cellar, the strong story here has a gripping atmosphere to match the setup. The grimy basement setup and holding cells are exceptionally well-done to match the aesthetic, and the creatures involved here have a lot to like when they get involved with the deformed appearance, gruesome strength, and just inhuman dimensions leaving a strong visual as they unleash outright gruesome outcomes as the messy practical effects for the multitude of deaths here make for a wholly fun time overall. The one lone drawback is that the finale feels incredibly rushed and over before it really starts with how quickly it's all resolved but it's the one lone drawback on display.

Rated Unrated/R: Extreme Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.

Italian 70/80s retro horror finds art restorer Lisa (Lauren LaVera) following in her father's footsteps as she travels to Italy, hired by a woman named Emma (Claudia Gerini). She is given two weeks to restore an old painting blackened with soot from a fire. As Lisa works, she suffers strange nightmares and Emma's daughter Gulia (Linda Zampaglione) keeps telling her the painting is cursed and contains an evil that will be released if the painting is restored by the coming red moon. Unknown to the American girl there is a horrible truth to these folktales, and she has already entered a nightmare from which she may not escape.

Homage filled flick is directed by Federico Zampaglioneire from his script with Stefano Masi and might be what it would have been like if Dario Argento made a movie with Lucio Fulci. Zampaglioneire knows his influences and the film's opening sequences resemble Argento's works quite well with LaVera evoking Suspiria actress Jessica Harper from that classic. It's no surprise Emma is a witch and Gulia's tales of ancient evil are more than a child's morbid imagination. While Lisa works, some young researchers she met on arrival are captured and tormented in the catacombs beneath the castle where the title well and its occupant lurk. This is where the film evokes Fulci with twisted and grotesque creatures doing horrible and gruesome things to these helpless victims. The practical gore and creature effects are quite effective here, though this part of the film is more straight up torture and slaughter and doesn't quite have the charm and spookiness of the parallel story of Lisa and the painting. These segments seem simply mean spirited and don't really serve the story other than to be cruel and gory, until the last act when things go literally to hell and the two stories collide. The segments set above with an increasingly fearful Lisa have more style and purpose, with Terrifier 2's LaVera proving she is a solid actress and heroine, beyond "Art" and retro Italian horror seems to suit her quite well. There is a very Goblin-esque score by Oran Loyfert and it all comes to a very Argento conclusion. Overall, The Well is an entertaining, nostalgic, spooky, and sometimes very gruesome tribute to Italian horror at its 70s/80s finest.

-MonsterZero NJ.

Lisa (Lauren LaVera) is traveling to a small Italian village to restore a painting. On the bus, she befriends three fellow American biologists. At the mansion, she is shown the blacken painting. Meanwhile, the three Americans get attacked and taken to a dungeon.

This is an Italian horror with a few unknown American actors. I had no expectations other than a strictly B-movie experience. That's mainly this movie and it's pretty good. The violence is brutal. The story is very simple and I would have liked more of a twist. The boyfriend twist could be set up more. The split in the story telling does limit the space for the boyfriend. The dungeon is probably the more compelling half although the mansion half is perfectly fine. This is solid work.

Frederico Zampaglione's The Well drops Sept. 3rd! This film pushes Giallo-Gothic style to new heights. While using classic Italian cinematography with new wave direction, this film packs a visual punch you won't soon forget! Couple that with some riveting performances by Claudia Gerini, Linda Zampalione, Jonathan Dylan King, and the final girl of my heart Lauren Lavera.

This film is definitely a love letter to classic Italian Horror. Though it definitely includes some slasher aspects, it definitely doubles as a creature feature with a nightmarish imagination. Incredible special effects make up and costumes for these beasts.

The special effects in general were next level. Brutal Kills, gallons of blood, cohesive story, Lauren Lavera, beautiful landscapes; I mean what else do you want? Watch it.

No pun intended - some movies are just a gift when it comes to the summary headline. You may have seen the Terrifier movies ... and therefor be familiar with the main female actress ... also add to that that one of the villains has some painting on his face ... plus the mentioned painting ... I would be surprised if anyone is surprised that the movie has a big emphasis on that painting and that it plays a big role.

Now there are quite a few of coincidences ... needing of a certain amount of people, those showing up and everything else that has to go according to plan ... I gave this an extra point for the effects ... not for the faint hearted ... just a heads up ... which does not take any skin off of me ... (another pun you say?) ... the story overall or the cliches do remind one of giallos (70s and 80s) ... you either like this ridiculous stuff or are annoyed by it.

I opened this with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised and very pleased to have discovered it. It was the most terrifying movie I have seen this year. I really liked this. This film, so wild and full of violence that will haunt your nightmares, salutes the golden age of Italian cinema, which produced some of the most horrific productions of its time, with a production that draws attention. The cast and soundtrack also was great too. I will definitely be watching this again and again even though I know what's going on now. This film definitely deserves to be among the Italian bloody classics.