Mariama Diallo’s directorial debut is a compelling and unnerving piece of cinema, with Master’s story buoyed by an exceptional cast of characters.
Directors:Mariama Diallo
Starring:Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, Talia Ryder
Genres: Horror
Amazon Prime has released the psychological horror-drama hybrid thriller Master, a great piece of cinema. Writer-Director Mariama Diallo’s debut feature will intrigue and capture your attention from beginning to end. Starring Regina Hall, Zoe Renee, and Amber Grey with a running time of one hour and thirty-nine minutes, this film is one to watch.
Mariama Diallo’s directorial debut Master is a thought-provoking gut-punch of a movie thanks to its exceptional cast of characters. Following its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2022, and domestic premiere at SXSW on March 14, 2022, Master exclusively streams on Amazon Prime Video. Master has already garnered highly positive views, with many critics praising Diallo’s film for its well-crafted premise and cutting social commentary akin to Jordan Peele’s Get Out.
The story surrounds three black women who attend a predominately white prestigious Ivy League (fictional) university, at all different levels, and we watch them navigate and try to find their place in this new environment. The university is, of course, haunted. Built on ancient lands, on gallows hill during the time of Salem, where one woman called Margaret Millet was hung for practicing witchcraft. The legend now states that Millet comes back and selects one fresher to drag to hell at precisely 3:33. Who is she going to pick this time?
Racially charged, this film is full of mystery and horror. Classic horror techniques such as the monster under the bed, maggots, and seeing things in the dark are utilized, but it’s not over the top or unnecessary, just enough to build suspense. The film is a slow but intriguing story.
At a basic level, a kind of Black Christmas-meets-Get Out and A Nightmare on Elm St by way of The Human Stain, writer-director Mariama Diallo’s debut feature is a beautifully crafted, superbly executed allegorical horror that will stay with you for days.
At its heart are two terrific performances from The Hate U Give’s Hall and Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase’s Renee, who ensure their characters are more than just archetypes or scream queens, but rather three-dimensional characters who, yes, have flaws, but also find themselves in an increasingly impossible or dangerous situation.
Featuring yet another hilarious 2022 use of Christopher Cross’ anthemic Ride Like the Wind, evocative and provocative imagery and building tension nicely until it boils over in memorable fashion, Master is one of the most effective, thought-provoking horror movies of the last few years.
As Gail so powerfully expresses of the movie’s underlying message, “it’s not ghosts, it’s not supernatural. It’s America – and it’s everywhere”.
Watch the Amazon Original Masterhere
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