Parasomnia review
Debut director James Ross II shows promise in this gore fest, but the fear factor suffers from an overly complex plot
TL;DR
- The film explores anxieties surrounding sleep and the "sleep economy" within the horror genre.
- Riley, the protagonist, suffers from waking nightmares after a traumatic event in her youth.
- She enforces a strict sleep protocol to protect others, but her boyfriend's oversight allows a demon to manifest.
- The narrative initially blurs the lines between dreams and reality, causing confusion.
- A third-act twist provides lore and clarifies the plot's complexities.
- Despite its ambitious structure, the film is described as mildly scary with middling performances and a generic antagonist.
- The director, James Ross II, shows promise in storytelling despite the film's shortcomings.