Some horror films announce themselves immediately. Loud soundtrack. Quick cuts. Cheap shocks every ten minutes. Diabolic goes the opposite direction, and honestly, it’s better for it. This is a slow, uneasy crawl into religious trauma, fractured memories and occult horror that feels specifically designed for late-night viewing when the house is silent and every little noise suddenly matters more than it should. Director Daniel J. Phillips never rushes the tension. He lets scenes breathe. Sometimes uncomfortably so. The result is a horror film that feels less interested in startling the audience than quietly wearing them down.
Lightbulb Film Distribution will release Diabolic in the UK & Ireland from 25th May on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. The Australian-produced supernatural horror stars Elizabeth Cullen, John Kim, Mia Challis and Terence Crawford. The setup sounds familiar on paper: after experiencing terrifying blackouts, a young woman returns to the isolated religious compound where she was raised, only to uncover dark secrets tied to an ancient ritual and the vengeful spirit of a cursed witch. But the film handles the material with enough restraint and atmosphere that it rarely feels generic.
What really carries Diabolic is the mood. The compound itself feels hostile from the beginning — cold interiors, endless shadows, silence hanging over every interaction. There’s this constant feeling that something terrible happened there years ago and never actually left. Phillips smartly keeps a lot of the mythology vague, which makes the horror more effective. The film never pauses to overexplain every supernatural detail or bury the audience in exposition. Instead, it relies on fragmented memories, strange imagery and mounting paranoia. There are shades of The Babadook and Saint Maud in the atmosphere, though Diabolic still manages to carve out its own identity through its isolated Australian setting and folk-horror edge.
Elizabeth Cullen delivers the strongest performance in the film by far. The supporting cast all work well enough, particularly John Kim and Mia Challis, but this is Cullen’s movie from beginning to end. The sound design also deserves a mention because it’s doing a huge amount of heavy lifting throughout the film. Whispered voices, distant creaks, low droning tones — nothing flashy, just constant subtle discomfort.
This definitely won’t work for everyone. The pacing is deliberately slow, and viewers wanting nonstop scares or explosive payoff may find themselves frustrated. But for horror fans who prefer atmosphere, psychological dread and lingering unease over loud spectacle, Diabolic is surprisingly effective. It’s the kind of film that sneaks up on you gradually. Maybe not immediately terrifying while you’re watching it, but harder to shake afterward than you initially expect. And honestly, those are usually the horror films that stick around the longest
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 95 mins
Director: Daniel J. Phillips
Writer: Mike Harding; Ticia Madsen
Cast: John Kim; Elizabeth Cullen; Mia Challis
Genre: Horror
Tagline: God Forgives ... Evil Doesn't
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Lightbulb Distribution
Official Site:
Release Date: Febraury 20, 2026
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A woman's hope for a miracle cure turns into a nightmare when she confronts the vengeful spirit of a cursed witch, determined to claim her as a vessel for her evil power.
