This is a dark take on a simple notion: what if a child’s imaginary friend was real. While not particularly original, this movie manages to provide a number of very effective jolts and shocking moments, along with a nicely pervasive atmosphere of dread and ominous vibe. There are a number of severely jarring moments and scenes, both of a mundane and supernatural variety There are numerous metaphors for parenting struggles, mental illness, inherited trauma and familial specters. While the film skirts with deeper themes and larger messages, it fails to follow through with many of them. There’s a tonal shift between the first act and the second act where subtle messages and insidious building dread gives way to easily telegraphed jump scares and questionable character decisions. The second act also manages to destroy any of the momentum and insidious atmosphere the film had been building. Overall, an average take on an old nation with above-average performances and production values, and one or two genuinely creepy moments, let down and squandered in a tonally disjointed last act.
Z (2019)