The movie starts off alright with some nice subtle mystery as to what Charm her condition is.
When the unlikeable brother and sister break into the house, the story quickly delvoves in to something that was clearly meant to create tension, but doesn't really do that. It is clear that through out the 2nd and 3rd act they tried to setup for the twist in the last 5 minutes, (more about that later)
Basso once again acts well, and i feel the role she plays fits her well and could mean she could be a great antagonist in other movies.
As it seems to become more and more like a creature feature, the rule of "the less you see the scarier it is" gets tossed out, The monster looks decent enough but just doesnt wow me (the as far as i could see practical effects though of Charm's transformation. Were stellar though.
Now that you read all this... i have to adress the elephant in the room and tell him about that twist...
ENDING SPOILERS AHEAD:
So in the end we find out, it was ALL in faiths mind, shes a mother with Munchausen (by proxy?) Syndrome, and this "Mysterious condition" therefor doesn't exist.
The brother and (sickly annoying religious) Sister that broke in, are just figments of people she saw in the 1990's where she had the brother OD on drugs. So why she remembered them and manifested them?, Nobody knows.
So when the sister flees outside we learn its actually Charm going outside as she is sick of her mother delusions. Why she did this in a deadly blizzard...nobody knows.
Then there is that drawing of Charm frozen to death in the position we see her at the end of the movie.
Euhm What? Did she know? Or was it something Faith Drew ? Its never made clear what it was about.
And then Charm's corpse, its found frozen a week after faith "pulled her from the dark like she promised" And Nobody is Questioning Faith? Or consoling her? I mean ...what? That makes no sense what so ever.
Sure the final shot that Faith is the porcupine monster, was a well made shot... but was not needed, and then the part before it, she felt bad at first but then she didnt feel bad anymore as she saw the drawing.
I am sorry to say it, but if you want to go, "IT was all in her head" the scenes you show need to make sense, the story beats we are shown need to make sense, and they really don't do that.
The subject material could make for a good story, but this aint that.
When the unlikeable brother and sister break into the house, the story quickly delvoves in to something that was clearly meant to create tension, but doesn't really do that. It is clear that through out the 2nd and 3rd act they tried to setup for the twist in the last 5 minutes, (more about that later)
Basso once again acts well, and i feel the role she plays fits her well and could mean she could be a great antagonist in other movies.
As it seems to become more and more like a creature feature, the rule of "the less you see the scarier it is" gets tossed out, The monster looks decent enough but just doesnt wow me (the as far as i could see practical effects though of Charm's transformation. Were stellar though.
Now that you read all this... i have to adress the elephant in the room and tell him about that twist...
ENDING SPOILERS AHEAD:
So in the end we find out, it was ALL in faiths mind, shes a mother with Munchausen (by proxy?) Syndrome, and this "Mysterious condition" therefor doesn't exist.
The brother and (sickly annoying religious) Sister that broke in, are just figments of people she saw in the 1990's where she had the brother OD on drugs. So why she remembered them and manifested them?, Nobody knows.
So when the sister flees outside we learn its actually Charm going outside as she is sick of her mother delusions. Why she did this in a deadly blizzard...nobody knows.
Then there is that drawing of Charm frozen to death in the position we see her at the end of the movie.
Euhm What? Did she know? Or was it something Faith Drew ? Its never made clear what it was about.
And then Charm's corpse, its found frozen a week after faith "pulled her from the dark like she promised" And Nobody is Questioning Faith? Or consoling her? I mean ...what? That makes no sense what so ever.
Sure the final shot that Faith is the porcupine monster, was a well made shot... but was not needed, and then the part before it, she felt bad at first but then she didnt feel bad anymore as she saw the drawing.
I am sorry to say it, but if you want to go, "IT was all in her head" the scenes you show need to make sense, the story beats we are shown need to make sense, and they really don't do that.
The subject material could make for a good story, but this aint that.