Shepherd is an occasionally scary story of grief and isolation, but it ultimately never does anything particularly out of the ordinary or memorable.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jul 18, 2024

Though the narrative sometimes fails to coalesce, particularly regarding its psychological elements, it’s an effectively chilling tale that excels at establishing an eerie, mysterious mood.

| Dec 17, 2022

A well crafted tale of terror. The cinematography is stunning and the sound design and score help to create an ever-increasing sense of isolation, disorientation and dread.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 12, 2022

As brave as it is innocent, the film throws itself into alchemy fear territory and doesn't worry about fitting within any movement or tendency of this genre. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 12, 2022

The feeling of ‘been-there-done-that’ is strong, but there’s still an awful lot to like in this nifty little isolation horror piece

| Jun 2, 2022

Poor Hughes has to run the gamut of emotions frontwards and backwards for little ultimate reward.

| May 23, 2022

Maintains a macabre atmosphere throughout that, while not offering any sudden, shocking changes in tone, is consistently stimulating in its gloominess.

| May 10, 2022

Creepy, atmospheric, well-acted and visually stylish, but often tedious, meandering and dull.

| May 7, 2022

While Shepherd may feel somewhat unsatisfying with its unanswered questions and weak characters, it explores in an interesting way how loss has such a powerful control on us.

| May 7, 2022

For Shepherd to truly transcend its rickety bits and its story clichés, it would need to come up with more resonant and creative images than Owen is able to produce here.

| May 6, 2022

While the plot here is thin (and slow-paced, and oppressively grim), Owen has a remarkable facility for generating atmosphere.

| May 6, 2022

Generating more questions than answers, this slow-burning British psychological thriller lacks the consistent tension to match its foreboding atmosphere.

| May 6, 2022

From writer/director Russell Owen (Inmate Zero) comes Shepherd, a surprisingly effective and angsty horror thriller set on a remote Scottish island where nothing seems to live but sheep, ghosts, and the occasional specter of death.

| Original Score: 3/4 | May 6, 2022

The first two acts work well in developing this world and allowing cracks to creep in.

| Original Score: B- | May 6, 2022

Shepherd is a layered film that works on slower than slow pace, setting everything up without over explaining and eventually bringing it all home for the viewer with some horrific images and chilling images.

| Original Score: 4/5 | May 6, 2022

[T]he plotting of Shepherd, founded upon creepy moments and unclear mythology, feels like an extended delaying tactic.

| Original Score: 2/4 | May 6, 2022

The percentage division of atmosphere to narrative in “Shepherd” may be something like ninety to ten, but the mood it creates is so overpowering that it’s creepily compelling.

| Original Score: B | May 6, 2022

Callum Donaldson’s marvelously icy soundscape might be doing much of the heavy lifting, but it’s Owen’s slow and steady directing style — favoring patient reveals over swift scares — that keeps this ominous horror tale firmly on track.

| May 5, 2022

Its resulting visual and tonal intrigue, while effective, unfortunately feels hollow when juxtaposed against Hughes' noteworthy performance.

| Original Score: C+ | May 5, 2022

Heavy on unnerving atmospherics — the trill of bells, decaying interiors, etc. — this psychological thriller set on a remote Scottish island is chilling in every way.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 5, 2022