Black Goat (2026)

This British independent feature was shot on a low budget in the Midlands and has some good ideas. There are glimmers of some great practical effects, especially in the cold open which features a highly memorable kill. We also feature a great sacrifice scene midway through which showcases what can be created with limited resources to great effect.

Ben Hinds makes for a great lead and to learn this is his first feature leading role, and that he scored the film and mastered the audio makes for an even more impressive fact. This is the true mark of independent filmmaking; an all hands on deck approach to bring a passion project to life. I particularly enjoyed watching his character's arc and his descent into madness made for an entertaining watch.

Black Goat is a slow burn folk horror with occult twists and extended dialogue. When the action kicks in it's great, and I feel with some finessing to the editing it would help tighten the pacing of the film. Aesthetically there's some wonderful cinematography which is aided by the location and leans well to the overall tone of the film. This will be for fans of thoughtful and calmer paced filmmaking, with familiar locales and haunting imagery.