The Damned

In a remote Icelandic fishing village, Eva, a widow whose life has been carved by hardship, faces a winter that seems to conspire against every choice she makes. When a foreign ship sinks offshore, its survivors stagger ashore, testing a community already frayed by hunger and fear. Eva's decision becomes a fulcrum for the townspeople, who argue over who deserves aid, who is blamed for misfortune, and what law or custom should guide mercy. The cold sea and snowbound streets become a constant presence as the characters weigh duty against humanity. The Damned blends dense mood with stark, practical consequences, keeping the spotlight on moral tension rather than sensational twists or revelations.

Directed by Thordur Palsson and written by Jamie Hannigan, The Damned stars Odessa Young as Eva and Joe Cole as Daniel. Set in a wind battered 19th century Icelandic port, it arrives in 2025 as a tense atmospheric horror drama with mystery.

Odessa Young anchors the ensemble, with Siobhan Finneran as Helga and Rory McCann as Ragnar shaping the village's nerves. The film's austere coastline, oil lamps, and shuttered houses create a striking sense of place that lingers long after the credits roll, its minor, suffocating silences amplifying tension for the viewers.

Critics praise the restrained pace and the way the story probes mercy, duty, and fear. Themes of isolation, communal secrecy, and the cost of aid feel earned through character choices and the unforgiving weather rather than grand melodrama. The sound design underscores the moral weight and the pulse of fear.

Box office worldwide stands at 1,352,553. The Damned drew interest from festival circuits and genre fans, signaling a modern take on Nordic gloom that relies on character and setting rather than loud shocks, leaving audiences with a truly lasting chill.