The Harrowing (2017)

The Harrowing is the kind of thriller that swings for the fences, fusing hard-edged detective grit with a creeping, supernatural dread that feels both pulpy and strangely plausible. It pulls you in with a vice cop’s obsession to clear his name, then keeps tightening the screws as his undercover descent starts to suggest the unthinkable—without ever leaning on cheap shocks. Matthew Tompkins anchors the madness with a performance that sells the fear and determination, while the visuals and effects give the film a surprisingly theatrical punch for a story this dark and intimate. If you like your thrillers intense, a little mind-bending, and unafraid to flirt with hellish territory, this one is easy to recommend—though viewers who prefer grounded realism over occult escalation may find it a bit too feverish.

The Harrowing clearly wants to be a gritty detective thriller that slides into supernatural horror, mixing undercover tension with a “what if demons are real?” hook. The problem is it often feels like it’s following a well-worn checklist, so the twists land as predictable while the story’s rules get muddy enough to be confusing rather than intriguing. Pacing is another sore spot: it lingers when you want momentum and rushes past moments that should actually build dread, which undercuts the scares. If you’re happy to coast on a dark mood, a couple of committed performances, and occasional effects work, you might get some pulpy fun—but if you need tight plotting and genuine, escalating tension, this likely isn’t your night.