Truly excellent. My first reaction to hearing that this movie was in development was similar to if you’d have told me that they’re making a Ben Drowned movie: a cynical eye-roll and groan. Another great internet creepypasta birthed from the 4chan cauldron of id, transformed into a plasticized, limp and mass marketable product. I had no question in my mind that this would have a chance of being good, let alone this good.
I would go so far as to say that not only is it good, it’s the best movie I’ve seen this year, and that would include Obsession, this movie’s twin sister in terms of hype, conversation and being the theatrical debut of a very young filmmaker.
This movie had every opportunity to be a waste—to squander a great idea at any turn—to run out of steam or not nail the ending or being unable to present a compelling story.
Instead what we received was captivating, atmospheric, rich with detail and subtlety, and above all truly unsettling and original. There are no tired clichés here. I was certain that this would be like Silent Hill, where the brilliant and extremely layered horror of the games would be destroyed and paraded around to every theater in America, destined to the Dollar General bargain bin of DVDs. I was wrong, and I was wrong because this director understands what makes the source material work.
Just watch it, and watch it again. And again.