Seeing isn’t believing in The Entity.
The Entity may be by the same director who would go on to inflict Superman IV: The Quest for Peace on us, but don’t let that fool you—Sidney J Furie’s 1982 movie is a harrowing, unsettling horror film that transcends its early ’80s trappings. Allegedly based on a true story, The Entity walks a razor-thin line between supernatural terror and a biting critique of societal disbelief. It’s a film that comes with all the trigger warnings imaginable, yet still manages to carve out a niche as one of the most thought-provoking horror entries of its era.
Barbara Hershey stars as Carla Moran, a single mother whose life spirals into an unimaginable nightmare when she’s assaulted by an unseen force. Hershey’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary—she grounds the film, giving Carla a blend of vulnerability and steely resilience. Her portrayal of a woman under siege, not just by a spectral attacker but by the disbelief of those around her, elevates The Entity above its more exploitative trappings. It’s Hershey’s raw, committed performance that pulls the film through some of its more problematic moments, keeping the focus squarely on Carla’s ordeal as she fights to reclaim her autonomy.
From the opening moments, The Entity doesn’t waste any time getting to the horror. One of the first attacks comes out of nowhere—a brutal, no-holds-barred scene that sets the tone for the relentless torment Carla is about to face. The film’s depiction of these attacks is graphic, uncomfortable, and far more disturbing than your typical ghostly poltergeist antics. This isn’t the subtle terror of a creaking door or flickering light; it’s an aggressive, violent haunting that targets Carla in the most personal ways possible.
Where The Entity shines is in its ability to use its supernatural premise as an allegory for real-world horrors. As Carla seeks help, she’s met with scepticism from a medical establishment all too quick to dismiss her experiences as hysteria or hallucination. Ron Silver’s Doctor Sneiderman, while ostensibly well-meaning, embodies the frustrating tendency to rationalize and belittle women’s accounts of their own trauma. His clinical attempts to explain away Carla’s suffering add a layer of psychological tension, making the film a pointed critique of institutional gaslighting. It’s not just the entity haunting Carla—it’s the disbelief and dismissal she faces at every turn.
Sidney J Furie’s direction walks a fine line between sensational and sensitive, capturing the terror of Carla’s experience without losing sight of the larger societal commentary. The special effects, though a clear product of the early 1980s, are used sparingly and effectively. Rather than relying on spectacle, they serve as an extension of Carla’s torment, grounding the supernatural elements in a chillingly real sense of danger. The entity itself is never fully seen but always felt, an oppressive presence that mirrors the invisible threats women face daily.
The film’s greatest strength lies in its subtext. The Entity is as much about the societal disbelief and systemic failures women face when reporting abuse as it is about ghosts and hauntings. It critiques the patriarchal structures that are quick to dismiss, silence, or gaslight women, and Furie never lets you forget that Carla’s struggle is a very human one. The horror of being attacked by an invisible force is terrifying enough, but what’s more horrifying is how little she’s believed.
One of the film’s most powerful aspects is how it keeps the focus squarely on Carla. This is no Carol-Anne-style haunting where the whole family is in peril—it’s Carla the entity is after, and Furie never shies away from showing the terror of being a single woman under constant threat. Even more distressing are the scenes where the entity attacks Carla in front of her children, amplifying the helplessness of her situation and the stakes of her fight for survival.
Despite its potential for sensationalism, The Entity remains a surprisingly potent feminist horror film. It’s a grim allegory for the all-too-real challenges of being believed, of finding support in a world that’s quick to label women as the problem. The film’s resolution doesn’t offer easy answers, but it leaves the audience with a haunting reflection on the resilience required to face both supernatural and societal horrors.
In the end, The Entity stands as a standout entry in the horror genre, not just for its ability to terrify, but for its capacity to provoke thought. It’s a deeply human story wrapped in the trappings of a ghost story, and its critique of disbelief and institutional failure makes it more relevant than ever. Far from being a mere spectacle, it’s a powerful piece of feminist cinema that lingers long after the credits roll. It’s little wonder that none other than Martin Scorsese named it as one of his top ten scariest horror movies of all time.
