Apostle

Play trailer

1:59

Apostle

2018

2h 9m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

70 Reviews

53%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

London, 1905. Prodigal son Thomas Richardson has returned home, only to learn that his sister is being held for ransom by a religious cult. Determined to get her back at any cost, Thomas travels to the idyllic island where the cult lives. As Thomas infiltrates the island's community, he learns that the corruption of mainland society that they claim to reject has infested the cult's ranks nonetheless - and uncovers a secret more evil than he could have imagined.

Watch on Netflix

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Apostle resists easy scares in favor of a steady, slow-building descent into dread led by a commanding central performance from Dan Stevens.

Read Critics Reviews

Meagan Navarro

Bloody Disgusting

Dec 17, 2018

4.5/5

Evans departs from his usual action fare to weave a gripping story centered around unique Pagan-like mythology steeped in blood and sacrifice. It's folk horror, but with a new level of brutality and viscera unlike most of its ilk.

Go to Full Review

Dan Jolin

Empire Magazine

Oct 15, 2018

2/5

A muddled Wicker Man-inspired horror that has bursts of style, but fails to find depth beneath its blood-spewing surface.

Go to Full Review

Tasha Robinson

The Verge

Oct 13, 2018

But for the most part, it's a breathlessly oppressive experience, a dark and sometimes strikingly beautiful film that lives up to its most obvious cinematic forefathers.

Go to Full Review

Kate Boyle

InSession Film

Mar 8, 2023

C

Apostle leaves a lot to be desire despite great potential.

Go to Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 19, 2022

4.5/5

The blood-soaked and metaphorically charged second half is sure to leave some squirming in their seats. But it’s fitting in this examination of oppression under the guise of religion and the costs of misguided faith.

Go to Full Review

Josh Parham

Next Best Picture

May 29, 2022

7/10

The results absolutely deliver, and Evans creates an effectively creepy setting that feels authentic and tactile.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Ben G

@Ben47172 Oct 31, 2026

Diabolical got reccomended this for Halloween and it was crap, no plot no connection just random gore gone wrong

See more

Marco L

@decatur555 Oct 22, 2026

A solid, dirty and atmospheric folk horror film that works best when it focuses on its isolated island, sick cult and religious fanaticism. The premise is classic: a broken man arrives in a closed community to rescue his kidnapped sister, only to find rituals, secrets, blood and power disguised as faith. Dan Stevens gives the story a tense physical presence, and Michael Sheen is very effective as a leader who seems to believe in the utopia he has built even as everything around him rots. The island, candlelit interiors, mud, old blood and superstition create a strong sense of unease. Gareth Evans also knows how to make violence feel brutal and physical. The problem is that the film becomes too tangled, adding family mystery, supernatural mythology, monsters and subplots until it loses some clarity. It is also a bit long. Still, I enjoyed its mood, nastiness and hallucinatory energy. Uneven, but memorable.

See more

Nicolas S

@NicolasSP Oct 6, 2026

Boring, confusing . Ridiculous plot

See more

B P

@Bradster69 Sep 11, 2026

Not Bad, but Not My Favorite

See more

Dee T

@RT94308544 Sep 3, 2026

Apostle (2018): The entire resolution to this film occurs on the faces of Dan Stevens and Michael Sheen in my favorite closing moments of a film to date.

See more

Kris T

@RT26407207 Sep 2, 2026

The supernatural part of the story is used to introduce modus operandi of a cult and explore interpersonal relations of closed communities which where not explored enough I think we see just couple of main characters and the rest of the habitants of the island might not be there as well have no impact on the whole story. Too many things that don't add up but a nice watch.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Gareth Evans

Director

Dan Stevens

Thomas Richardson

Lucy Boynton

Andrea

Michael Sheen

Prophet Malcolm

Kristine Froseth

Ffion

Mark Lewis Jones

Quinn

The Prodigy

44%

37%

The Prodigy

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Prodigy

History of Evil

22%

35%

History of Evil

Watchlist

TRAILER

for History of Evil

Mandy

91%

68%

Mandy

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Mandy

Run Rabbit Run

38%

26%

Run Rabbit Run

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Run Rabbit Run

Our House

62%

34%

Our House

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

New on Netflix in August

Gareth Evans’ Five Favorite Films

First Man Is Certified Fresh

Apostle: Trailer 1

1:59

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

London, 1905. Prodigal son Thomas Richardson has returned home, only to learn that his sister is being held for ransom by a religious cult. Determined to get her back at any cost, Thomas travels to the idyllic island where the cult lives. As Thomas infiltrates the island's community, he learns that the corruption of mainland society that they claim to reject has infested the cult's ranks nonetheless - and uncovers a secret more evil than he could have imagined.

Director: Gareth Evans
Producer: Gareth Evans, Ed Talfan, Aram Tertzakian
Screenwriter: Gareth Evans
Production Co: XYZ Films, Severn Screen Limited
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 12, 2018
Runtime: 2h 9m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings