From its deceptively tranquil opening to its gut-punch finale, The Canal delivers one of the most unsettling horror experiences in recent memory. What begins as a typical haunted house story quickly morphs into something far more disturbing—a psychological breakdown wrapped in supernatural dread, where the scariest question isn’t “What’s in the house?” but “What’s inside him?”

The film masterfully builds its nightmare from mundane foundations: a film archivist (Rupert Evans) discovers his picturesque home was the site of a gruesome 1902 murder, just as his own marriage crumbles. The parallels between past and present grow increasingly sinister, especially after he witnesses his wife’s infidelity—a scene that crackles with quiet horror, framed through a rainy window like a ghostly premonition. When violence erupts, the film makes brilliant use of its waterlogged aesthetic (this is a house by the canal, after all), with every dripping pipe and distorted reflection feeding the growing unease.

What sets The Canal apart is its refusal to offer easy answers. Is the house truly haunted, or is our protagonist unraveling under grief and guilt? The film plays with both possibilities until its jaw-dropping final act—a twist so brutal and thematically perfect that it elevates the entire story. That last reveal involving the child isn’t just shocking; it recontextualizes everything that came before, turning a standard ghost story into a devastating study of inherited trauma.

Flaws Worth Noting:
While the atmosphere is impeccable, the film does indulge in some unnecessary detours (the nanny subplot could’ve been cut entirely). Still, these are minor quibbles in what’s otherwise a taut, 92-minute nightmare.

Final Verdict:
A must-watch for fans of The Babadook’s psychological horror or Sinister’s archival unease. That final shot will cling to you like canal water—long, dark, and impossible to shake.

Best for: Horror lovers who prefer dread over jump scares, and anyone who appreciates a twist that hurts.

(P.S. That projector scene? A brilliant nod to The Ring—though here, the real terror isn’t on the film reel, but in the family’s DNA.)

(P.P.S. To those searching about the ending: sometimes the most innocent question—“Do you want to be with Mommy and Daddy forever?”—can be the most monstrous suggestion of all.)