“The Shrouds“ follows Karsh, a creative entrepreneur who develops a machine designed to communicate with deceased individuals.

This is an interesting plot synopsis for a movie that ends up all over the place. “The Shrouds” explores a wide range of themes, but it often sidelines the most compelling ones.

The first act is when “The Shrouds” works best. The introduction to its central theme is intriguing, but the film veers off quickly. Instead of locking into one strong narrative, it scatters in too many directions. Entire sections feel unnecessary, making the 119-minute runtime feel even longer.

Disjointed Story, Missing Emotion

Grief sits at the forefront of the film, yet the story lacks emotional depth. Karsh’s journey through loss is fragmented and hard to follow. Political subtext surfaces throughout, alongside a strong presence of sex, but these elements overwhelm rather than enrich. The end result is a film that feels bloated and incoherent.

The film’s biggest issue is its scattered nature – and the fact that it’s boring. Vincent Cassel leads with a grounded performance as a grieving intellectual. The supporting cast holds their own, but the dialogue lets them down. Rather than allowing characters to naturally interact, the film leans into exposition. This makes much of the conversation feel stiff and out of place.

Style and Flashes of Dark Humor

For a dialogue-driven film, this shortcoming is especially damaging. “The Shrouds” comes from director David Cronenberg, and visually, it delivers. Several scenes stand out thanks to clean camerawork and a muted score that suits the tone. The film has its own distinct style, even if its story struggles to match it.

Dark humor adds occasional spark. The twisted take on grief and the afterlife opens the door for some bizarrely funny moments. But these bits don’t fully offset the film’s larger flaws.

High Concept, Low Impact

Ultimately, “The Shrouds” fails to live up to its potential. Its ideas are bold, but the execution falls flat. A 2025 release like “Creep Box” explores similar territory with sharper focus and deeper impact. Still, there’s something about “The Shrouds” that lingers. Even if it doesn’t fully work, its ambition is worth noting.

Rating: 2 out of 5