In the hush of an empty street, a flute’s mournful note pierces the night. What stirs in the shadows is no mere ghost—it’s the void itself, hungry for belief.

Long after the multiplex lights dimmed and critics dismissed it, The Empty Man lingers like a half-remembered nightmare, its tendrils wrapping around the edges of cult horror fandom. Released amid the chaos of 2020, this sprawling epic of cosmic dread defies easy categorisation, blending slow-burn tension with philosophical horror in a way that rewards patient viewers. For those who crave the unsettling depths of Lovecraftian unease wrapped in modern sensibilities, it stands as a beacon of overlooked brilliance.

  • A meticulous adaptation of Cullen Bunn’s graphic novel that expands its mythos into a four-hour odyssey of existential terror.
  • David Prior’s directorial debut crafts an atmosphere of creeping dread through sound design, practical effects, and unflinching pacing.
  • James Badge Dale’s grounded performance anchors a tale that probes the fragility of reality, belief, and human connection.

The Bridgeport Incident: Where It All Began

The film opens with a prologue set decades before the main action, in the snowy isolation of Bridgeport, Montana, 1995. A group of backpacking teenagers stumble upon an ancient stone flute during a hike. What follows is a sequence of pure, unadulterated horror: one by one, they succumb to visions and violence, their bodies contorting in ways that defy anatomy. This opening gambit sets the tone for the entire picture, establishing the rules of the Empty Man’s realm—no jump scares, just inexorable doom born from curiosity. The flute, etched with cryptic symbols, serves as the conduit, whistling a tune that echoes through the victims’ minds long after the instrument falls silent.

From there, the narrative shifts to present-day St. Louis, where we meet James Lasombra, a grieving ex-cop played with quiet intensity by James Badge Dale. When his friend Greg’s daughter Nora vanishes after a cryptic encounter with a stranger, James dives into an investigation that peels back layers of urban myth. The trail leads to the Pontifex Institute, a shadowy organisation masquerading as a wellness centre, and the Taddle Group, a cult whose members pursue transcendence through the Empty Man—a multidimensional entity that feeds on human belief. Each clue unravels further the fabric of reality, blending police procedural with occult ritual.

The synopsis sprawls across timelines and perspectives, refusing to rush its revelations. We witness rituals in abandoned buildings, visions of alternate dimensions, and confrontations that blur the line between hallucination and manifestation. Key supporting characters like James’s partner Lisa, the enigmatic Ruthie, and the cult’s acolytes add emotional stakes, their fates intertwined with the growing presence of the titular horror. By the climax, atop a skyscraper under a blood moon, the film culminates in a symphony of body horror and philosophical reckoning, leaving viewers to question what they have summoned in their own minds.

From Graphic Novel to Cinematic Abyss

Cullen Bunn’s original 2014-2015 comic series from Cul de Sac Comics laid the groundwork with its sparse, atmospheric tales of urban legends gone wrong. The Empty Man manifests variably—as a spectral figure, a disease, a psychological parasite—always triggered by folklore like the ‘seven days’ game played by teens. David Prior’s adaptation doesn’t merely retell; it weaves the anthology shorts into a cohesive novel, expanding the lore with original sequences that delve deeper into the entity’s origins. Production designer Elizabeth Jones crafted sets that evoke both mundane suburbia and otherworldly voids, using practical locations to ground the supernatural.

Shot over several years with a modest budget, the film faced distribution hurdles, languishing on shelves before a limited 2020 release via 20th Century Studios. Streaming on Hulu later amplified its reach, turning initial box office indifference into fervent word-of-mouth praise. Critics who championed it highlighted its kinship with The Thing and In the Mouth of Madness, praising how it subverts horror tropes. For retro enthusiasts, it echoes the ambitious failures of 80s/90s genre fare like From Beyond, where excess ambition birthed cult gems.

Soundscapes of the Void

One of the film’s masterstrokes lies in its audio design, courtesy of composer Brian Williams (Lustmord). The flute motif recurs as a low, droning wail, layered with subsonic frequencies that unsettle the subconscious. Dialogue scenes hum with ambient unease—distant traffic morphs into whispers, footsteps echo unnaturally. This auditory architecture mirrors the theme of contagion through perception, where sound becomes the vector for the Empty Man’s influence.

Visually, Prior employs long takes and static shots to build tension, contrasting the frenetic editing of modern horror. Practical effects from Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr. of StudioADI deliver grotesque transformations: skin splitting to reveal tentacles, eyes bulging with cosmic insight. The colour palette shifts from grey urban pallor to crimson ritual glows, evoking the practical F/X wizardry of early Cronenberg.

Philosophical Undercurrents: Belief as the True Monster

At its core, The Empty Man interrogates the power of collective belief. The entity exists only insofar as humans will it into being, a metaphor for memetic horrors in the internet age. Characters grapple with grief, isolation, and the allure of meaning-making cults, reflecting 2020’s pandemic-era anxieties. James’s arc from sceptic to vessel embodies this, his personal loss amplifying his susceptibility.

The Pontifex Institute sequences dissect New Age pseudoscience, with leaders peddling enlightenment via the flute’s ‘resonance.’ This critiques consumerism in spirituality, akin to 90s Satanic Panic tales but inverted—the danger lies not in deception, but in the truth it unveils about human frailty. Secondary themes of parenthood and legacy resonate, as absent figures haunt the living, much like the Empty Man’s eternal watch.

Cult Status and Legacy Echoes

Post-release, fan theories proliferated on forums, dissecting timelines and symbols. Blu-ray editions from Arrow Video in 2022 cemented its collector appeal, with commentaries revealing Prior’s influences from Arthur Machen and Thomas Ligotti. Merchandise remains scarce, but custom figures and posters thrive in niche markets, bridging 80s toy nostalgia with modern horror artisanal crafts.

Its shadow looms over successors like Resurrection (2022), sharing slow-burn dread. For collectors, owning the steelbook edition evokes VHS era treasures—tangible portals to forgotten scares. The film’s runtime, once mocked, now praised as immersive, demands repeat viewings to parse its dense mythology.

Director/Creator in the Spotlight

David Prior emerged from the editing bay to helm The Empty Man, his feature directorial debut after cutting trailers and music videos. Born in the American South, Prior honed his craft assisting on indie projects, developing a penchant for atmospheric storytelling. Influenced by David Lynch’s surrealism and John Carpenter’s minimalism, he self-financed early shorts like The Untold (2013), a proof-of-concept that secured studio interest.

Prior’s career trajectory skyrocketed post-Empty Man, though distribution woes tested his resolve. He followed with The Raid 2 reshoots and scripted Swallow (2019), showcasing versatility. Upcoming projects include Abigail (2024) contributions and original horror. His filmography includes:

  • The Empty Man (2020) – Feature debut, cosmic horror adaptation starring James Badge Dale.
  • Swallow (2019) – Writer, psychological thriller with Haley Bennett.
  • Protector 454 (upcoming) – Sci-fi horror directorial follow-up.
  • Editor credits: Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012), ABC’s of Death 2 (2014) segment.
  • Shorts: LMVL (2015), experimental sound-driven piece.

Prior’s meticulous prep—storyboarding every frame—defines his style, blending intellectual rigour with visceral impact. Interviews reveal his archival dives into folklore, shaping the film’s authenticity. A vocal advocate for theatrical horror, he champions long-form storytelling against franchise fatigue.

Actor/Character in the Spotlight

James Badge Dale embodies James Lasombra, the everyman thrust into abyss-staring madness. Dale, born in 1978 in New York to a theatre family, trained at the Stella Adler Studio. His breakout came in The Departed (2006) as Trooper Barrigan, Scorsese spotting his brooding intensity. Roles in World War Z (2013) and 13 Hours (2016) showcased action chops, but indies like The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) honed his horror affinity.

Dale’s filmography spans genres:

  • The Empty Man (2020) – Lead as haunted detective James Lasombra.
  • The Departed (2006) – Supporting in Scorsese’s crime epic.
  • World War Z (2013) – CIA analyst in zombie apocalypse.
  • 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016) – Action hero in Bayhem thriller.
  • Spectral (2016) – Lead in Netflix sci-fi war tale.
  • The Walk (2015) – Supporting in Zemeckis’ Twin Towers tightrope drama.
  • Hold the Dark (2018) – In Kurosawa’s bleak Netflix mystery.
  • TV: The Pacific (2010) – Snafu Shelton, earning acclaim; 24 (2007).

Awards elude him, but peers laud his subtlety. For Empty Man, Dale drew from personal loss, delivering a performance that grounds cosmic stakes. Lasombra’s character arc—from rationalist to enlightened vessel—mirrors Dale’s shift from ensemble player to lead, cementing his cult status among genre fans.

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Bibliography

Bunn, C. (2014) The Empty Man. Cul de Sac Comics.

Prior, D. (2022) ‘Directing the Void: Making The Empty Man’, Fangoria, 15 March. Available at: https://www.fangoria.com/the-empty-man-david-prior-interview/ (Accessed: 10 October 2024).

Wood, S. (2021) ‘The Slow Burn Horror of The Empty Man’, Bloody Disgusting, 22 February. Available at: https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3654782/empty-man-blu-ray-review/ (Accessed: 10 October 2024).

Gillespie, N. (2022) ‘Cosmic Dread on a Budget: The Empty Man Legacy’, Horror Press, 5 July. Available at: https://horrorpress.com/empty-man-retrospective/ (Accessed: 10 October 2024).

StudioADI. (2020) ‘Creature Effects Breakdown: The Empty Man’, official blog. Available at: https://studioadi.com/empty-man-effects/ (Accessed: 10 October 2024).

Collum, J. (2023) Modern Cult Horror: Overshadowed Gems of the 2020s. McFarland & Company.

Lustmord. (2021) ‘Soundtracking the Empty’, Sound on Sound, November. Available at: https://www.soundonsound.com/people/lustmord-empty-man (Accessed: 10 October 2024).

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