Natten har øjne

This film was an incredibly enjoyable and engaging watch, and really fun to see in the cinema. A beautiful example of claustrophobic family horror, it manages to balance tension and emotional stakes while still being funny and charming. Every member of the small cast gives a really phenomenal performance.

This was a quarantine film that was shot quickly, and it shows a little in some clumsy exposition but that is easily my only criticism. All told, it is incredibly sharp, original and multifaceted, with a stunning cast and strong direction, a wonderful, complex queer storyline and a very fresh take on some old tropes. Absolutely delightful.

Attachment is a Queer horror film steeped in Jewish folklore written and directed by Gabriel Bier GislasonIt in his feature-length film debut. At the center of the film's narrative is a love-at-first-sight romance between a Danish former actress and a Jewish academic from London. It boasts a rather endearing meet-cute between its leads in a public library when the two quite literally bump into each other dropping their books. The two strike up a whirlwind courtship, but unbeknownst to them, something sinister lurks beneath the surface. The film stars Josephine Park, Ellie Kendrick, Sofie Gråbøl, and David Dencik.

When Leah (Kendrick) suffers a terrifying and mysterious seizure, breaking her leg with a horrifying snap, Maja (Park) fears their relationship may end before it truly begins. She decides to accompany Leah back to her home-a multi-story flat in London she shares with her Mother-in the Hasidic neighborhood of Stamford Hill. There, she meets Leah's mother, Chana (Gråbøl), an unpleasant, domineering, and secretive woman. Chana resists Maja's attempts to bond with and get to know her. When Maja begins to notice strange seemingly supernatural occurrences in the apartments, she begins to suspect that Chana is conjuring something to keep Leah's love and devotion for herself. The superstitions and traditions of Orthodox Judaism play a role in the film's narrative, bringing authenticity to its setting and keeping us intrigued for the most part in its quiet moments.

Kendrick and Park deliver engaging and believable performances as a couple experiencing the familiar "meet-the-parents" friction, but the leads lack chemistry, making the romance itself unconvincing. While I love folk horror as much as the next person, the supernatural elements of the film are so subtle, that they are easily overlooked until the film's finale. The ending ties everything into a proverbial and somewhat clichéd bow that'll leave some viewers dissatisfied. It is a very slow burn that suffers ever so slightly from its pacing but it still manages to deliver an unexpected payoff.

While it isn't overtly scary and it takes a while for the story to get going, there's a great red herring and plenty of little supernatural chills. In addition to Jewish folklore stories that I have a keen interest in (naming them would give too much away), Attachment explores the deep bonds of love, superstition, and the complex nature of mother-daughter relationships. It's an allegory for codependence and the dangers of imbalanced relationships.

Attachment offers a refreshing angle in the horror genre by combining queer romance with Jewish folklore, something rarely seen onscreen. Director Gabriel Bier Gislason crafts a story that's as much about cultural identity and maternal control as it is about demonic possession.

Josephine Park and Ellie Kendrick have genuine chemistry, and their relationship feels warm and lived-in, grounding the film emotionally. The Copenhagen-to-London shift brings an intriguing change in tone, with Sofie Gråbøl's portrayal of the overbearing mother adding an undercurrent of unease that grows steadily.

However, while the film handles its characters with care, the horror elements feel subdued. The mythology is fascinating but not fully explored, and the tension never quite peaks. It's more eerie than terrifying, and the pacing falters in the final act.

Final verdict: Attachment is heartfelt and thematically rich, with strong performances and cultural nuance. But as a horror film, it plays things a little too safe-leaving it more touching than terrifying. A modest success with a unique voice.

I have to admit that "Attachment" was a much better film than I expected, although ultimately it wasn't as exceptional as I was hoping it'd turn out to be. At 1hr and 45 minutes, 20 minutes less would have been a vast improvement.

The movie starts in the Netherlands, where Maja and British student Leah meet in a library. Sparks fly and before you can say, "Lesbian U-Haul Joke," the two move back to Leah's London home with her mother, who seems a little crazy and overly overprotective. Enter Jewish folklore, body transformation and peanut allergies and an eventual satisfying ending.

It's quite well acted with excellent production values, and really, time management and editing is my only real complaint. That and the actress who plays Maja' sinus issues. But I started getting antsy halfway through the third act, wondering when they were going to start wrapping things up. Then once we got to the climax, it just seemed to go on far too long. It's really too bad, because it had the makings of something special, with a couple you were rooting for to make it. Instead it just became dull.

I would love to see a better edited version of this film. But for now the best I can do is a 6.

This film is described as horror, and it could be called that, amongst other things.

What is happening here? Well, there's a possession, but this surely is no The Exorcist! It's a Danish film, and we really haven't got a great history in either horror or scary films. But is this really a horror film, I would say partly. It is as someone is trying to make it into more than that. But what? It's really hard to say, for me that is. I try to find what this is all about. The reason is, that Danish films very seldom just try to be, for instance, funny, entertaining or just plain scary (or anything really). There's gotta be more than what's seems obvious. So whay is it this time? Is it an attack at religion, homosexuality, jews or?

Perhaps it's just me searching for something that is not supposed to be there, perhaps it's just plain horror? If so, it's not really that scary. It has the very annoying ending that most horror film has, you really can't tell if the whole thing really have ended.

There's not anything to say against the actors, they do a very good job, especially Park and Kendrick.

Truth be told I'm really not a horror fan, so if you are, you probably have to see for yourself.