‘Mārama’ Movie Review [Fantastic Fest 2025]: Māori Identity Meets Gothic Revenge Story in a Stylish but Familiar Tale

Photo from Fantastic Fest

From Jeff Nelson

Many voices remain silenced in mainstream movies. Writer-director Taratoa Stappard’s Mārama gives a Gothic horror twist to the underrepresented history of the Māori people, who are the second-largest ethnic group in New Zealand. Its exploration of colonization is dripping in style, but it rings a little shallow in substance.

Set in 1859, Mary (Ariāna Osborne) embarks on a 73-day journey from New Zealand to Whitby in search of the truth behind a mysterious letter sent by Thomas Boyd (Elliot Blakely), who claims to hold the facts behind her family history. Upon her arrival, she’s taken to Sir Nathaniel Cole (Toby Stephens), a wealthy landowner who made his riches as a South Seas whaler. There, he reveals that Thomas is dead and offers her a stable job as a governess to his eight-year-old granddaughter, Anne (Evelyn Towersey).

Mary immediately senses that something isn’t right. Anne’s father, Arthur (Jordan Mooney), and the rest of the imposing family surround themselves with cultural artifacts that hit too close to home for Mary. Paintings and horrifying dreams teleport her to the past, which she must confront before stepping toward the future. The cultural appropriation filling the Cole residence raises a red flag that she can’t ignore, but she’s determined to see it through. As Mary extends her stay, it becomes clear that the Coles have nefarious plans for her.

Stappard’s screenplay approaches a fascinating culture that deserves more stories brought to the screen. Simmering rage soaks through every nook and cranny, which inevitably comes to an ugly head later on. A slow-burning Gothic horror tale transforms into a brutal revenge thriller in a takedown of colonization. Mārama takes time to find its rhythm, spending too much of its atmosphere-soaked introduction on cheap jump scares in the first act.

Much of this time-bending horror show is about ancestry. Ghosts of the past haunt Mary, and the anguished screams of her ancestors ring out in desperation. Stappard’s direction and a passionate performance from Osborne are deeply felt, making this world feel lived-in and timely, even with its historical setting. Gin Loane’s moody cinematography amps up the dread and adds touches of warmth in visions of a place outside of time.

Mārama is a Gothic horror revenge tale about reclaiming history as a piece of intersectional identity. It has no shortage of gloomy style, but we’ve seen this movie before. Stappard uses Māori culture as a veneer over a predictable story that the audience is always two steps ahead of. Even so, it’s loaded with atmosphere and character development that make the story compelling, despite its obvious plot beats. Stappard’s unnerving world works best when it allows us to stew in discomfort, rather than relying on lackluster jump scares in this haunted house of colonization.

Rating: 3/5

Mārama played at Fantastic Fest 2025 on September 21.

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