The Reign of Queen Ginnarra, from director Lawrie Brewster and writer Sarah Daly, is one of the most ambitious independent genre films in recent memory. Hex Studios’ medieval horror tells the story of Elderon (Andrew Gourlay) and his quest to stop his sister, Queen Ginnarra (Megan Tremethick), who rules over the kingdom with an iron fist — assisted by the dark gods who give her gifts in exchange for blood. Ginnarra killed their father to claim the throne — and she will stop at nothing to ensure that her power is preserved.
Elderon, on the other hand, is reminiscent of the wandering ronin in Akira Kurosawa’s samurai classics. Exiled and hunted, he must contend with the queen’s soldiers, led by Kronus (Stephen Kerr), and the horrors she conjures through dark magic, which often manifest in the form of deadly creatures. Elderon eventually joins forces with some allies to aid him in trying to overthrow his sister, but can he trust them? The warrior is also followed by a figure in a black cloak who might be Death, which only creates more concerns for his survival chances.
Clocking in at almost three hours, The Reign of Queen Ginnarra is an ambitious fantasy epic that is large in scope and ideas, with plenty of action and scares thrown in for good measure. So, why should viewers seek it out?
The Reign of Queen Ginnarra Is Gloriously Grimdark
Hex’s previous foray into the fantasy realm, The Slave and the Sorcerer, is a euphoric sword-and-sorcery adventure that brings the cheese and sleaze to the fore. The Reign of Queen Ginnarra is the opposite, with the film transporting us into a bleak world beaten down by oppression, tyranny, dark magic, and political scheming. Evil rules with no remorse, and the do-gooders are mostly content enough to survive — until Ginnarra forces their hands due to her wickedness.
What we have, then, is a grimdark-flavoured nightmare that mostly eschews the noble elements of Tolkienesque fantasy in favour of the morally ambiguous variety popularised by authors like Robert E. Howard, George R.R. Martin, and Joe Abercrombie. Director Lawrie Brewster has cited the political intrigue of I, Claudius and the medieval realism of Excalibur as influences, which are evident in the film’s own gritty sensibilities and complexities.
At the same time, The Reign of Queen Ginnarra isn’t so grimdark that it’s completely devoid of hope. Elderon, the evil queen’s dragon-protected brother, is an admirable underdog tasked with overthrowing her authoritarian regime, so there is a mission worth rooting for at the heart of the darkness. With that being said, viewers should not come into this expecting Elderon to be an Aragorn-type figure, as he is even more reluctant to accept his birthright than The Lord of the Rings’ handsome hero.
Mind you, with this being a Hex film, The Reign of Queen Ginnarra leans heavily into Gothic horror, with echoes of Hammer and classic British scare fare sprinkled throughout. The titular queen is also a devout follower of Lovecraftian deities — and she epitomises their destructive and terrifying worldview.
Megan Tremethick Terrifies As Queen Ginnarra
Every medieval fantasy epic needs a powerful villain, and Megan Tremethick is a disturbing delight in The Reign of Queen Ginnarra. In fact, she delivers a performance that is on par with anything you will find in a film or television show this year — whether in an indie horror production or a glossy HBO drama set in a kingdom like Westeros. What’s more, she has a compelling character to sink her teeth into.
As the film’s ruthless monarch, Ginnarra commands fear and respect in every scene, often without uttering a single word. Perched on her throne and rocking Tudor-inspired makeup, the queen orders her victims to be tortured more casually than she issues a royal mandate. Still, Ginnarra’s real acts of wickedness occur in her underground chambers, where she offers up infants to the Old Ones and makes dark deals with her masters.
While there aren’t any lines Ginnarra will not cross to achieve her nefarious ambitions, she doesn’t seem to find any pleasure in these seemingly sadistic acts. Her sacrifices are mere currency, offered to the Old Ones in exchange for dark powers that will aid her cause. In Ginnarra’s realm, people serve to be used, broken, and sacrificed to preserve her power — but the character is more complex than the one-note monstrous villains we typically associate with on-screen tyranny.
Every now and then, the queen reveals flashes of tenderness through her bond with her beautiful boy, Prince Raemin (Andrew Todd), a literal gift from the gods for whom she will do anything to ensure he is the sole heir to the throne. There is love in her heart for her son, but the notion of sharing it with the rest of humanity is an alien concept. Tremethick does an excellent job of tapping into her character’s nuances, but her performance will send chills down your spine during the more harrowing moments, of which there are many.
Ginnarra is difficult to root for, sure, but she has layers to unpack. Instead of focusing on her gruesome antics at face value, we should ask why and what made her this way? Her basic motivations are clear, but there are mysteries lurking underneath the surface that will give viewers plenty of food for thought after the end credits roll.
Why You Should Watch The Reign of Queen Ginnarra
The Reign of Queen Ginnarra is proof that fantasy films don’t need blockbuster budgets to showcase scale and imagination. With their latest effort, Lawrie Brewster and Sarah Daly have crafted a richly detailed fantasy world steeped in myth, magic, and political unrest — one that is home to some bloody battles and an array of nightmarish creatures. The film boasts the grandeur of a historical drama and the oppressive dread of a cosmic horror tale, anchored by a story about overthrowing tyranny. What’s not to love?
Another intriguing element of the film is its portrayal of ideological conflicts, both political and religious. Like Robin Hardy’s masterpiece The Wicker Man — a film that centres around Christian police officer who is forced to contend with the inhabitants of a murderous pagan community — esoteric faiths are the status quo in this world. The more traditional forms of religion exist on the periphery, overshadowed by darker philosophies that aren’t to general humanity’s best interests. This only enriches the film’s mythology, and the dark deities being part of the Lovecraftian school is an added bonus that provides some cosmic chills.
The Reign of Queen Ginnarra’s strikes an ideal balance between gripping storytelling and rich worldbuilding. When a film leaves you wanting to spend more time in its universe — be it through sequels, spin-offs, or tie-ins — it deserves praise for its immersive and transportive qualities. Everyone involved in the creation of this ambitious epic deserves a tip of the hat for bringing this bold and chilling vision to the screen — and, hopefully, Hex will return to this universe down the line.
The Reign of Queen Ginnarra is available to buy on the British Horror Studio Patreon page.