The English-language Israeli production may not wow stateside genre fans, but its approach to the source material is emotionally and intellectually sincere, enacted seriously, if not always engrossingly, by cast and crew.

A well-crafted and idiosyncratic supernatural thriller, the film plays like a mix of "Frankenstein," "The Witch," and some of the Coen brothers' more explicitly Jewish movies.

The re-imagined golem is a intriguing twist that reflects the film's ambitious and intelligent themes.

The Golem is a gorgeous movie that pays respect to it's roots while also updating the legend, quite terrifyingly, to be relevant with the times. It's a feminist historical set piece that is sure to fcatch your eye, a home run of a debut film.