At its core, Mandrake is an interrogation of the bonds between mothers and their children. Mandrake (2022) Movie Review - HubPages

: When two local children go missing shortly after Mary’s release, the fragile peace of the small town shatters, igniting a modern-day witch hunt and forcing Cathy to question her own core beliefs.

The story is built on the clash between modern rationalism and ancient, primal folklore.