Maria Wróbel as Nawojka
Folk Horror is a sub-genre of horror that I really enjoy. It’s also one of the harder sub-genres to get right. It’s not enough to have some of the hallmarks one might expect. Tension and ambiguity have to be balanced in just the right way. When I read about Her Will Be Done, I was definitely intrigued by it being described as a supernatural drama. Sadly, while I think there are good things about it, it didn’t really stick the landing for me.
In Her Will Be Done, “Nawojka, a young woman struggling with her monstrous desire, is convinced that she is struck by a strange hereditary curse and will try to escape the family shackles through Sandra, her sultry neighbor who has returned to the village.”
I really struggle with this film because while it wasn’t really my cup of tea, there are good things about it. For starters, Simon Beaufils’ (Anatomy of a Fall) cinematography is absolutely lovely! The film exudes the moodiness and atmosphere you’d want from folk horror. Even the animal violence (which I do believe there should be warnings about) is shot in such a way that it hits you like a freight train. The editing by Isabelle Manquillet is also done in such a way, that it adds to the visceral feelings that a lot of the scenes carry.
These things wouldn’t matter without the performances in Her Will Be Done. Maria Wróbel as Nawojka is on par with Anya Taylor-Joy in The Witch. The conflicted nature of the character really shines through Wróbel’s performance. Roxane Mesquida as Sandra was also great. I kept thinking about how she reminded me of a French Samara Weaving. If this ever had a Hollywood-led remake, I could see the studio trying to cast Samara Weaving in that role.
Something I appreciated, because it’s in my nature to notice, was the use of food and meals to tell the story without exposition. Naw is expected to prepare the dinner for her father and brothers because she is the only woman in the household due to her mother’s death. She prepares macedoine, a salad of diced vegetables and mayo, and her father seems a bit disappointed but doesn’t say anything. They both pray before eating while the brothers both stuff their faces, ignoring the ritual. Her brother Bogdan also tries to make her get him dessert; her father steps in and tells him to get it himself. This scene is where we also learn that Naw wants to leave to go to veterinary school, but her father, seemingly against it, tells her they’ll discuss it another time. The wedding feast also gives viewers insight into the Polish community in the French town. Their “old ways” feel very indicative of the expected tropes of folk horror.
Roxane Mesquida as Sandra
With all of this, you may be wondering where the film stumbled for me. Mainly, it’s that so many elements of the story don’t get explained or utilized in a way that doesn’t feel completely ambiguous. I felt as though the themes of generational trauma via the death of Naw’s mother, expectations of women in male-dominated cultures, queerness in a small unaccepting community, and being born as we are were all put out there. Sadly, they never seemed to dig below the surface levels of each. The nature of the illness of the cows was left too ambiguous. Was it because of Naw? Was she possessed by her mother, or was it her just following in her footsteps? I was left with too many questions to fully enjoy it. I don’t normally say this, but I could have used about 30 more minutes of story.
Overall, I think there is definitely an audience for this film; it just wasn’t me. As I mentioned at the start of this review, it truly was a struggle because I don’t enjoy it when things are too ambiguous, but aside from that, it’s really well crafted. I recommend giving it a shot and seeing if it works for you! Her Will Be Done will be playing at The Roxy Cinema on 9/23, 9/25, and 9/27. Following these screenings will be Q&As with director Julia Kowaksi and actress Roxane Mesquida. The film will launch nationwide on VOD on 10/2.
My Rating: 3/5