1922 is yet another Netflix exclusive horror film, this time around it is based on one of Stephen King's stories; a novella in fact. I am quite hit and miss when it comes to the work of that author, but I can't deny he has some great ideas. 1922 is not a happy film in the slightest and boiling it down to basics it is just a cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for. Regardless this is so well made, and the time period used so effective that I found myself not so much liking this as appreciating it for a decent horror.
Surprisingly set in 1922 Wilfred; a farmer (played by Thomas Jane - The Mist) hatches a plan to murder his wife Arlette (Molly Parker - The Wicker Man) in order to get ownership of the land that she inherited as she intends to sell it so that she can move to the city. Wilfred convinces their son Henry (Dylan Schmid - Horns) to assist him with his deed by poisoning the boy against his mother. The two get away with their crime but it is then that things start to fall apart with both of them suffering from the decisions they have made...
I liked the central plot concept of Wilfred in the future writing a confession about his past crimes. It led a good degree of suspense as to what was going to happen as he often hints at what is to come. Many times during 1922 it goes back to him writing this letter, intermingled with him hearing the sounds of rats in the walls. Rats play a big part in this film with them being in many key scenes. For all the supernatural elements to be found here there is easily a case for it all being a personification of Wilfred's guilt. Thinking everything will be fantastic with his wife out the way instead we follow him as his life crumbles around him with misfortune after misfortune visiting him.
