PROCLIVITAS

Australia, 2025, 103 minutes, Colour.

Rose Riley, George Mason, Hayley McElhinney, Chloe Brink, James Rock.

Directed by Miley Tunnecliffe.

The immediate challenge for this film is its title, in Latin. The film opens with a quotation from Cicero, in Latin, then transforming into English, highlighting that inclination/inclination is towards a good while proclivitas/proclivity is a movement towards the bad.

This is a first film by its director after some short films. The film features Rose Riley, many films and television programs as is the case with George Mason.

The film was made in Western Australia, some city settings and a home but then moving to a small town in the countryside, the main action taking place in a rundown house and its being repaired.

This is a story of Claire, played by Rose Riley, a young woman upset at the death of her beloved mother. But, there is something askew with Claire, nervous, edgy, hearing noises, reluctantly going back to her house in the country and to sort out her mother’s effects.

While the film is billed as a horror film, the main horror sequences are right at the end. Rather, this is a drama of menace,  Claire experiencing the menace and the details of the plot being gradually revealed, emphasis on the gradual, step-by-step, and the reveal also left until towards the end of the film.

So, something of a psychological case film, Claire training to be a doctor, r her personal problems, on suspension, plea going back to the house, encountering a police school friend as she arrives back of the town, then meeting the young man she loved in the past, Jerry, played by New Zealander George Mason, genial, past love for Claire (and many flashbacks to their past), his own story and problems, now handyman in the town, ready to repair the dilapidated house.

On the one hand, there is the expected renewal of the relationship between the two. On the other, there is the constant tension in Claire’s dreams, in her waking imagination, noises, sensing sinister presences – and, while we might think she has to face her demons, they finally materialise in monstrous form.

Horror fans who like blood and gore will be very impatient with the gradual opening up of the plot and its complications. Audiences who enjoy a psychological drama will find it more interesting – and be more ready to accept the explanations of Claire’s demons and their manifestations.

1. The quote from Cicero, inclination to good, proclivity to evil?
2. The Western Australian setting, the city, the house, the ambulance? The countryside? The town, the old house, restaurant, police…? The musical score?
3. The title and the inclination not to good but to evil? With Claire, with Jerry?
4. The film classified as horror but the main horror at the end, the creature, the demon? The film as more ominous, menacing Claire, her memories, her imagination, her fears, her guilt, her demons?
5. The gradual unfolding of the narrative, step-by-step, indication memories, imagination, fears? The reveal of the accident, the consequences the end?
6. Claire, her age, memories of the past, teenager, the house, with her mother, friendship with Jerry, the bond, memories of the first kisses, the dance, the swimming? Her going away to study medicine, her achievements, her addictions, being haunted, drinking? The death of her mother and its effect, her aunt not going to the house? The travel, the encounter with Tara and the hostility? The breath test? Arriving at the house?
7. Jerry, the flashbacks, the friendship, in love, the pool, her going away, the driving, careless, the accident, the death, his being willing to take the responsibility, his life in prison? Coming out, tradesman in the small town, memories of Claire?
8. Claire as tentative, talk with Jerry, eating out, the food, the kiss, telling some of her story, his doing the work, their company together, the sexual encounter, the consequences, Tara coming for Jerry and her displeasure? The day off? But all the time Claire hearing noises, sensing the presences?
9. Jerry, genial, memories of the past, the game of memories, Claire’s mother and the contact, visiting Jerry in prison, Communications? Claire’s surprise? Her discovering the tablets, his throwing them away, their reappearance? Her imagination?
10. Her going back to the house, the demons? The return to the country?
11. The buildup to a climax, the visualisation of the demons, Tara’s visit, the gun, Jerry and his sense of despair, Tara shot, Claire and her being jolted, imagination, the creature, her defiance, facing her demon, monstrous, and its disappearance, taking charge, an ambulance for Tara, healing for Jerry?
12. The pace is a film, gradual, drama, the visualisation of the demon climax, the future?