More blumhouse rote horror that spends too much time establishing rules and rationale behind its worldbuilding, but barely delivering cliched jump scares. There are some great visuals strewn throughout, and at least one genuinely disturbing moment, especially in the last act where the surreal potential in the premise is explored. There are a handful of unintentionally hilarious moments, and a few that seem self-aware of the ridiculousness involved. But a handful of scares aren’t enough to elevate this film above average, especially with a cliche-laden script, and most every twist telegraphed. I kept thinking the movie was at its end, with at least two of its faux-endings potentially being impactful, but then the movie… just… kept… going. There is the potential for a better movie here with the premise, a decent cast of likable characters, and some clever direction with great use of color and lighting, but ultimately this movie is forgettable popcorn fodder that squanders every unique element it presents.
Imaginary (2024)