Before I Wake
Before I Wake
A couple adopt an orphaned child whose dreams - and nightmares - manifest physically as he sleeps.
rg9400 reviewedNovember 1, 2024
I can see early seeds for Flanagan's latter works here. The visuals are surprisingly good, and there are attempts to ground the horror in trauma and symbolism. Unfortunately, it doesn't fully build an effective atmosphere, often feeling more like magical realism and a fairy tale than horror. The characters are also not very developed or engaging. I think you can track Flanagan's improvement over time, and this movie is where you really start to see his control over imagery, but it isn't close to one of his stronger works.