damnation’hungarian film

A palpable sense of dread defines every scene, beginning with the opening shot of industrial coal buckets transported via an elevated cable mechanism moving diagonally across the frame as grinding, grating sound drones on. Surely, nothing good will happen here. Yet, so beautiful are the tableaus, so powerful the performances that the despondent individuals in their dismal story keep Damnation from feeling as unappealing as the title implies.