HorRHIFFic 2026: ‘Beyond Mamushi’ Review
Stars: Corina Jayne, Jemma Thompson, Gary Cross, Stephen Atkins, Kathy Griffiths | Written and Directed by M W Daniels
A blistering portrayal of domestic violence gets a supernatural twist in Beyond Mamushi, a new low-budget thriller from director M W Daniels. Appearing in her debut role, Corina Jayne stars as troubled Kate, whose dream home turns into a psychological torture chamber under her partner’s cruel campaign of abuse.
Already in a delicate state, Kate’s fragility is exacerbated due to the hallucinations summoned up by the medication she takes – and which Chris (Gary Cross) often withholds. And, as he steps up his abuse, matters go from bad to even worse.
Kate’s sole confidante is the mysterious Ama Mamushi (Jemma Thompson), who counsels her to cut Chris’s festering influence from her life by murdering the big man. As a tense breakfast with his dad and a doom-laden holiday to Scotland beckons, events soon build to a violent head. But with Kate’s medication and brittle mental state continuing to blur the lines between fantasy and reality, how sure can we be of everything that she’s seeing and experiencing?
The ultra-low budget only adds to Beyond Mamushi’s discomforting atmosphere, while Jayne and Cross’s performances ground the film in a painfully intimate state of reality. Daniels is mercifully restrained in his depiction of Kate’s ordeal, which Chris delivers mostly through intense periods of psychological and verbal abuse. This, in turn, is followed by extended love-bombing sessions, resulting in an unpredictability that works far better than the alternative could have. She’s stepping on eggshells around him, and that palpable sense of tension is passed down to the audience.
Likewise, the supernatural element is so slight as to be imperceptible. The violence, when it comes, is in short, sharp bursts. The action is altogether less effective, thanks to budgetary constraints and some of the more amateurish performances, so it’s for the best that the film worries more about its psychological impact rather than attempting to be the next Nil by Mouth or This is England.
Those who do prefer a bit more grit to their kitchen sink drama may struggle with the film’s overly clinical palette, but there’s a haunting beauty to be found in its opening and closing sequences.
Beyond Mamushi is a hard-hitting psychological thriller, uncomfortably shot and commandingly performed.
*** 3/5
Beyond Mamushi screened at this year’s Romford Horror Film Festival.
