Moloch (2022) is a Dutch folk horror film that follows Betriek, a woman living with her family near a foggy peat bog in the Netherlands. After a mysterious attack on their home, she begins to sense that something ancient and evil is surrounding them. What starts as a search for answers becomes a chilling journey into local folklore and buried secrets.
Betriek is a grounded and practical character, but her sense of reality begins to fracture as strange events escalate. She becomes entangled with an archaeological dig uncovering centuries-old bodies of women, all buried in a ritualistic manner. The unearthed corpses seem to awaken something old and restless beneath the bog.
As she investigates further, Betriek learns of a terrifying legend tied to her familyโs landโone that suggests her bloodline may be cursed. The film blends eerie silence with sudden bursts of horror, using atmosphere, sound, and shadow to maintain tension throughout.
The horror in Moloch is slow and creeping, more psychological than gory. It builds dread steadily, using folklore and generational trauma to fuel its haunting story. The bog itself feels alive, becoming a quiet monster that never fully reveals itself.
In the end, Moloch offers a unique and unsettling take on folk horror, grounded in Dutch myth and personal grief. Itโs about the things we inherit, both knowingly and unknowingly, and the ancient horrors that never really dieโthey just wait to be remembered.
