French filmmakers Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, the duo behind Inside, Leatherface, and The Deep House, step outside of horror ever so slightly for their latest, The Soul Eater. The adaptation of Alexis Laipsker‘s novel, penned by Annelyse Batrel and Ludovic Lefebvre, dabbles in the supernatural to lend atmosphere and intrigue to a standard investigative thriller. While its procedural elements may feel more rote, at least in an era inundated by crime thrillers, Maury and Bustillo pull from their horror toolkit and plunge into dark subject matter with aplomb.

Nestled in the French mountains is Roquenoir, a sleepy village on the cusp of becoming a full-blown ghost town. Just when it’s on the brink of being forgotten, a grisly murder so ruthless and inexplicable draws the attention of authorities beyond Roquenoir. Commander Elisabeth Guardiano (Virginie Ledoyen) arrives in town on assignment to investigate the murder, coinciding with Captain...