This review may contain spoilers.

The Girl With The Needle is one of five films to be recognised with a nomination from the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film, submitted for Denmark. The film loosely focuses on Dagmar Overbye in post-WW1 Copenhagen, and every ounce oozes evil.

Directed by Magnus von Horn, the film follows Danish seamstress Karoline and her decline into a world of stark brutality through a brilliantly raw and gritty performance from Vic Carmen Sonne. Ditching colour for a cold black and white image, the audience is thrown into ‘the olden times’, with a tone highlighting a complete anti-nostalgia for the past. It doesn’t take long to realise that it’s perhaps not the most joyous of watches. 

Falling pregnant and out of work, Karoline is left with little freedom and is forced down a path of darkness. With excellent use of cinematography, the film drags the viewer through the devilish tortures of Karoline’s life, leaving them feeling as much like passengers in the story as the protagonist.  

The film also utilises sound fantastically and is incredibly diverse, catching the audience off-guard as they witness horrifying events, whilst also showcasing a brilliant calmness in other equally upsetting scenes.

The Girl With The Needle offers a refreshing perspective in the horror genre, with the key antagonist being multifaceted in that their actions are not just evil for the sake of it (at least from their own perspective). It both critiques the actions of the antagonist and allows the audience to understand her, which is much more gratifying and intriguing. 

Much of the film is based on the true story of a 1920s serial killer (which remains the most prolific in Danish history), but it is far from a historical retelling of events. While using the real story as a jumping-off point may upset some purists, it allowed the drama of the film to stay intact without having to abide by a strict story where you may as well have made a documentary. 

The Girl with the Needle wraps the audience in layers of intrigue with its gothic fairytale energy, resulting in an overwhelmingly enticing watch. A film so ugly it’s beautiful, it is most certainly worth a watch.

Neil Highlands Singer

Hi, I’m Neil Singer, Culture Editor and second year student, studying media and journalism, and social policy. In my spare time I play for Strathclyde Lacrosse and watch a lot of films. If your reading this then that probably means you’ve looked at my article, so thankyou! You must be one very cool individual.