“The Morrigan” (2025) starts 1500 years ago revealing the original titular character (Antonia Campbell-Hughes) before fast forwarding to the present day where Dr. Fiona Scott (Saffron Burrows) wants to have an archaeological dig to learn more about the Celtic goddess, whom she believes is an actual person. She brings her daughter, Lily (Emily Flain), on the trip, but it is challenging to watch over her daughter and deal with her boss, Dr. Jonathan Horner (Jonathan Forbes). When her theory proves correct, and she makes an amazing discovery, the goddess is released and threatens her daughter. Writer and director Colum Eastwood expands his 2015 short film with uneven results, which includes bad special effects that increase as it approaches the end. If Eastwood had more money and stuck closer to the Irish folklore, he could probably have a better product, which is more than could be said about many movies.
Eastwood mastered linking a present-day issue with the horror storyline. In the uncivilized bloody past, Eastwood gives a glimpse to the audience of the brutal, sanguine past of armed men killing unarmed women, including the leader who appears defiant, but appearances do not keep people alive. In the present day, everything seems pleasant, but the academic world is more cutthroat, and the soul killing can last much longer. Burrows is convincing as an academic constantly held back despite proving herself and trying to keep it together with a volatile daughter making a challenging job more difficult. Mom probably relates to and admires the Morrigan having to deal with men attacking her and somehow still standing. Fiona is in a hellish cycle. She cannot head an expedition because she does not have the experience, but she does not have the experience because credit for her work gets handed over to her boss, who also adds obstacles. If she does somehow manage to advance, he swoops in and takes over. If she does not like it, she can always leave, which means abandoning the project that she conceived. Each step sounds reasonable in a vacuum, but overall, the professional dynamic is a minefield. Her critical flaw is not being more transparent with her daughter and acting as if Lily is at fault when she is shielding her daughter.
Lily is mostly unlikable. She diminishes her mom’s work in front of her mom’s peers and boss. As she witnesses how Dr. Horner treats her mom, she is furious and wants her mom to stand up for herself. Does it stop her from treating Dr. Horner like one of her little friends or being mean to her mom? No, but she gradually realizes that it is a red flag that he reciprocates. After the discovery, the Morrigan possesses Lily. Her blonde hair turns black. Her eyes glow. Her physical atrributes defy physics. If Eastwood made a mistake, he used too many demon possession tropes instead of using the mythology surrounding the Morrigan, which I am unfamiliar with, but a cursory review indicates that Eastwood did not even try except for the crows. In the short, if it was not for the title, the characteristics could be confused with the black-eyed children or just some ordinary demon. Her effect on people felt more like witchcraft than goddess. It is the crucial flaw of “The Morrigan,” but the story also does a lot of things right.
When Fiona and Lily arrive on Annan Island, everyone is lovely. It seems like the perfect place to be. Owner Malachy Crowley (Toby Stephens, who keeps his shirt on in this movie as opposed to “The Severed Sun”) is friendly, understanding and caring of both. He is more amused and patient with Lily’s attitude, which makes him seem like a saint. His son, Sean (Art Parkinson), is a sweet young man suitable for Lily, and he even has a nice dog, Ruby. My favorite is Conor (Michael Shea), who is part of the excavation without participating in the passive aggressive mind games. Once things get weird, he peaces out. Same. In a different location, Conor would get out unscathed. He is not about to die for some work. As Lily transforms, so do the men except for Conor and Dr. Horner, who does not change because he was already living his best worst life.
The men’s civilized veneer collapses, and they become nastier in their remarks and more aggressive. For the average viewer, it may seem like a reasonable reaction considering the demon possession trope in the story; however, the Morrigan starts reading people and reveals all their secrets. It becomes mostly a “good for her” plot and “they had it coming” except for Conor and Father Francis Crowley (James Cosmo), but in the latter’s case, he outs himself because his immediate solution is to kill Lily. Sir. It was very reminiscent of the early clergy in Luc Besson’s “Dracula: A Love Story” (2025) except Cosmo’s performance will make you want to trust in his reassuring authority. A major lesson of “The Morrigan” is all men, which is very different from Eastwood’s short film. Lily only reveals their true nature, and it is the most shocking aspect of the film, especially how they physically handle Fiona even after she does not pose a real threat. It is the most interesting part of the plot because they do not seem that horrible. If they are afraid of the Morrigan, it is because she does pose a threat.
Unfortunately, Eastwood throws a lot of malarkey into the mix as well. You cannot have a demon possession storyline without fear of a sexual woman. No prudery in this criticism. It does not work. How does Sean know that something is wrong with Lily? She lets him come in while she is taking a bath. Eyeroll. That storyline feels like a sensationalistic dry begging for another sequel and seemed wholly unnecessary when there was sufficient material that did not get tackled. It was time that could have been better devoted to more flashbacks of what the Morrigan was like when guys were not trying to stop her, and she was just hanging with the girls. Think “Suspiria” (2018). She should be a feasible alternative. Also from an apocryphal Biblical story perspective, it does not go unnoticed that the Morrigan possesses Lily, and the Morrigan acts more like Lilith than a god. I want to see a pagan war goddess be a pagan war goddess, not a pagan war casualty.
Despite its many flaws, I actually really enjoyed “The Morrigan.” Eastwood’s story making instincts are stronger and more satisfying than a lot of horror. (This week, I’m looking at you, “Whistle.”) He just needs to choose the path less taken, not the well-worn path of mediocrity. Also, his short film was gorgeous and bloody so he can make a good-looking film. It is better to be modest and visually sumptuous than ambitious and make your film look like dog shit, especially the ridiculous CGI and horrific makeup. If an average Irish woman can look great, then a Celtic goddess should look stunning while still practical when going into battle. Eastwood threw a horrible wig on her head and put her in the dowdiest, monochrome frock available. How do you think people confused her with Morgan le Fay if she was not fierce!?!
