The Wonder (2022)
Film · Drama, Mystery
Stream itif you appreciate a methodical, intellectually curious mystery that interrogates faith through a lens of psychological trauma.
A somber, atmospheric mystery that values psychological depth and religious skepticism over quick thrills. It is a slow-burn experience, rewarding patient viewers with a haunting performance by Florence Pugh in a setting that feels both claustrophobic and ancient.
What it is about
Haunted by her past, a nurse travels from England to a remote Irish village in 1862 to investigate a young girl's supposedly miraculous fast.
Trailer
What The Wonder is like, and who it is for
What it is like to watch
Watching this film feels like observing a quiet, escalating tug-of-war between science and superstition. The pacing is deliberate, prioritising the heavy, damp atmosphere of the Irish midlands over traditional narrative momentum. It is a sterile yet emotionally charged experience, where the tension arises not from action, but from the claustrophobic proximity of the observers and the observed. Every frame feels weighed down by history and the grey, unforgiving landscape.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
This is ideal for viewers who enjoy rigorous period dramas that challenge the viewer’s perspective, especially those who admire Florence Pugh’s ability to anchor a film with stoic intensity. It will likely frustrate anyone seeking a supernatural thriller or a fast-moving detective story. A significant caveat is the meta-fictional framing device at the start; some may find it jarringly modern, as it momentarily pulls you out of the 19th-century setting before the story truly begins.
The right evening for it
It is best suited to a quiet, focused evening where you can sit with the film’s difficult questions about belief and survival without distraction.
Written by our AI from the facts on this page. It has opinions; it has not watched it.
Featurette
Featurette · Opening, Twist and Ending Explained
How The Wonder leaves you
One line on the mood it ends on, with no plot. Some people count that as a spoiler, so it stays hidden until you ask.
It leaves you with a lingering, thoughtful chill, prompting a deep reflection on the stories we choose to believe to survive grief. The weight is somber yet profoundly grounded.
How The Wonder ends
Spoilers. The whole ending, in a few lines. Nothing shows until you ask and then confirm.
The film ends with Lib taking a dying Anna to a holy clootie well while the O'Donnell family are at Mass. Lib tells the girl that Anna will die and be reborn as Nan; after Anna appears to pass away and then revives, she finally accepts food. Lib then burns down the family home, destroying her laudanum and telling the council that Anna died of natural causes in an accidental fire. To avoid culpability, the council dismisses Lib, while Sister Michael permits the escape by claiming she saw a vision of Anna leaving with an angel.
Lib eventually reunites with William and the recovered Nan in Dublin. Posing as a family called Cheshire, the three set sail for Sydney. The story concludes on the ship, where Lib and William watch as Nan eats a full meal, confirming her survival and their new life together.
Summarised by our AI from the plot section of the Wikipedia article, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. This summary is shared under the same licence.
Stills
Images from TMDB.
If you like this, try
Saint Maud (2019)
a similarly intense exploration of religious devotion and psychological instability
The Crucible (1996)
the same focus on communal hysteria and the clash between logic and dogma
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More clips
Featurette · The Shocking True Story of The Starving Girls Behind 'The Wonder'
Featurette · Florence Pugh + The Cast of The Wonder On Having The Craic in Ireland
Featurette · Florence Pugh Reads To You
The Wonder soundtrack
Music by Matthew Herbert
The Wonder (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)
Matthew Herbert · 2022 · 15 tracks
Listen on Apple Music- 1Calling
- 2Bent
- 3Frustration
- 4Shame
- 5Bent Again
- 6Thaumotrope
- 7Booties
- 8Collapse
- 9Revelation
- 10Until She Dies
Album and songs from Apple Music.
Questions people ask
- Is The Wonder a tense film?
- Yes. On Watchlist Boosted it is tagged Tense, with an authentic streak. A somber, atmospheric mystery that values psychological depth and religious skepticism over quick thrills. It is a slow-burn experience, rewarding patient viewers with a haunting performance by Florence Pugh in a setting that feels both claustrophobic and ancient.
- How long is The Wonder?
- The Wonder runs 108 min and was released in 2022.
- Where can I watch The Wonder in the UK?
- In the UK, The Wonder is included with Netflix (all plans).
- Who composed the music for The Wonder?
- The music for The Wonder is by Matthew Herbert. The soundtrack album, The Wonder (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film), has 15 tracks.
- What songs are on the The Wonder soundtrack?
- The Wonder (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) has 15 tracks, including “Calling”, “Bent”, “Frustration”, “Shame” and “Bent Again”, and more. It is on Apple Music.
- Is The Wonder worth watching?
- Stream it: if you appreciate a methodical, intellectually curious mystery that interrogates faith through a lens of psychological trauma. IMDb users rate it 6.6 out of 10 from 48,691 votes, Rotten Tomatoes gives it 84%, Metacritic 71 and TMDB users 6.6.
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