The Daisy Chain

The wilds of Ireland provide an imposing and suitably bleak backdrop for this otherwise uninspiring twist on the "evil kid" movie. Combined with a mournful score, they alone give the slow and predictable horror thriller its atmosphere, as bland couple Samantha Morton and Steven Mackintosh become embroiled in a series of strange occurrences after taking in a troubled local orphan (impressive youngster Mhairi Anderson) who's believed to be a fairy changeling. Whether community opinion is right is up to the audience to decide, since the unrealistic events remain not just ambiguous but often frustratingly unclear. Ultimately, director Aisling Walsh (Song for a Raggy Boy) neglects the already weak plot and its themes of superstition, motherhood and loss; instead focusing excessively on Anderson's creepily expressive face. As a result, key moments have limited impact, with the climax proving particularly underwhelming.