Strange Darling – 2024 – Horror, Thriller
Directed by: JT Mollner
Written by: JT Mollner
Main Players: Willa Fitzgerald; Kyle Gallner; Ed Begley Jr.; Barbara Hershey
This “Thriller in 6 Chapters” is quite a disturbing and twisting experience. Covering the culmination of a long killing spree, Strange Darling reflects some absolute insanity, and unfolds in unexpected ways.
The story is designed to give the viewer a good case of whiplash, as well as trust issues, and even opens with Chapter 3 deep in the action of our tale. Tension flows immediately as chases and uncertainty are in the driver’s seat.
I won’t go deep into the plot as it is better to go in with expectations of being thrilled and enthralled relatively non-stop in the brief runtime. It may seem at first to be the same old horror affair, but if time is given the real story will reveal itself.
The movie really gels due to some absolutely stellar performances by the two main forces, the Lady (Fitzgerald) and the Demon (Gallner). If the acting had not been up to snuff or as dedicated, the movie may have come across as almost comical or silly instead of the seriously bonkers extravaganza of tension and hysteria that it is.
While some reviewers have hailed this as a masterpiece and I myself liked it a little bit less than that, it is still a fairly surprising journey and worth a watch for all horror fans, or brave viewers. There are definitely some interesting power dynamic themes explored. Strange Darling is very stylishly done, the script is polished and the acting is top notch.
See This If You Liked:
High Tension (Haute Tension); Alone (2020); The Hitcher (1986); What Keeps You Alive; American Psycho; Blink Twice; I Saw the Devil (Angmareul Boatda); Don’t Move (2024); Vacancy; Hush (2016); Creep (2014)
Score:
7.5