Together: Juntos Hasta La Muerte

This is a great Body horror film that might have been missed, and it is a good thing I haven't missed it. Kudos to Chris Stuckman that recommended this one. Since he became a critic that doesn't disses films, I understand that if he uploads a review, it is a sign that the films was worth watching. This is exactly the case.

Dave Franco and Alison Brie are, apparently, a married couple in real life, so this experiment of a movie with a message about relationships and how they reflect to both sides of the bond, was an interesting one. How will both actors survive each other, working together on the same movie set.

This was and still it was interesting to hear an interview with both, to understand how this experience was from each side. In the movie they are a couple that haven't been married yet. He is clinging to the idea he can fulfill his musical dreams and not just as a Hobbie and she is, of course, fully dedicated to her career and trying to change scenery, to maximize her side of potential (and salary will also be nice).

They both move to a new place, village, if we may call it and then troubles start happening, as they should, In a classic horror movie genre. Michael Shanks is a short movies director and not a lot of experience is mentioned in his filmography. It is certainly the best work of his, since...ever and it is interesting to see what he will make next in line.

The movie is not actually scarry in the old fashioned way. It has some gore in it, it is well shot and there are a lot of horrifying bits and pieces, but towards the end, we get the body horror effect and the movie, as those genre films always go, gets wild, but not to wild and graphic, which I like and respect.

Personally, I don't like the body horror genre, because it feels, for several stages, that the director is over trying to make his audience disgusted. This one is made so well, that even the parts that made me want to vomit, were somehow digestible. The best thing is the high tension of this movie and the fact it grabs the audience by the neck and doesn't let go.

And this is also a movie that makes you think. About relationships in general, about your relationship and of course it makes us think about the relationship of the couple in the movie, that feels like they've done each and every mistake that is demonstrated in the book of mistakes in relationships.

It is a problem to try and detach the eyes from this movie. It is well directed and both main actors makes great work and can gladly get back home with great payment to do what they love - together. It had a lot of mystery; it is great as thriller and excellent as a body horror genre movie. Great Jog.

It doesn't happen that often that we get genuinely fresh, original ideas in horror - and when it does, it feels so bloody good. 'Together' (2025) is exactly that. A grotesque, clever, and oddly funny little gem that had me cringing, laughing, and totally hooked the entire time.

The concept is unhinged in the best way: a couple moves to the countryside... and starts getting TOO attached. What unfolds is what I can best describe as a rom-com body horror (yes, really) that somehow makes co-dependency literal... and it weirdly works. So well.

Body horror isn't for everyone, but this is so well done. The practical effects are gnarly in the best way - just the right amount of gross to make your stomach turn while keeping you glued to the screen. It leans into the absurdity, but underneath the chaos is a surprisingly honest look at toxic love, compromise, and identity.

Alison Brie and Dave Franco are absolutely fantastic. You totally buy into them as a couple who love each other but maybe shouldn't be together. Or maybe should? I don't even know. That's part of the fun.

And I have to say - any film shot in Melbourne gets an automatic bonus point from me. There's something so satisfying about seeing our suburbs twisted into something this surreal.

Cringey in all the right ways. Disgusting in the best possible sense. 'Together' is one of the most original horror films I've seen in ages - and it will absolutely satisfy genre lovers looking for something bold, grotesque and new.

When real-life couples star together, the resulting film can take on a fascinating meta-layer. Although their offscreen bond doesn't necessarily blur into their characters, it inevitably hovers in the background. Mike Nichols' 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' wasn't simply a searing portrait of marital warfare; it was also Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, cinema's most famous spouses, sparring with a ferocity that audiences couldn't help but connect to their tempestuous private lives.

Likewise, Stanley Kubrick's 'Eyes Wide Shut' wasn't just a puzzle about desire and fidelity. Echoed against the backdrop of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's highly publicized marriage, the couple's casting lent an extra layer of voyeuristic intrigue to the film. That extra-textual dimension doesn't alter the story, but it makes the fiction feel charged in ways it otherwise wouldn't.

This is also the case with Michael Shanks' 'Together,' starring the real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie. A body-horror à la Coralie Fargeat's 'The Substance,' the film follows long-time partners Tim and Millie, who have been drifting apart. After relocating to the countryside, they encounter a mysterious force that starts to reshape their lives, forcing them closer than ever. Soon, their romance becomes a macabre affair, as the boundaries between co-dependence and monstrosity irrevocably blur.

Atmospheric, visceral and laced with dark humour, Shanks' film grips from start to finish. Essentially a Cronenbergian romantic comedy, it's bloody good fun, with some thematic weight. Shanks' narrative cleverly uses the language of body-horror to externalize the often-unspoken dynamics undermining relationships. More than an external threat, the disgusting entity that binds Tim and Millie embodies their neediness for, and resentment towards, one another.

Horror has always excelled at making the abstract tangible- whether it be desire as parasite, or intimacy as contagion- and Shanks leans into that tradition with gory relish. In 'Together', the spectacle of skin and sinew isn't there for shock alone, but as a metaphor for how love can devour, how co-dependence can trap partners in a suffocating cycle of intimacy. As proceedings intensify, the couple's bond is forced into a crucible, revealing both the strength and fragility of their connection.

Shanks' strong characterisation emphasises this point, especially when it comes to Tim. He is far from a traditional macho protagonist, being a vulnerable, tentative man marked by trauma. He can't work a compass or start a fire, and relies heavily on Millie in everyday situations. His hesitancy and fragility ground the film, making the couple's descent into grotesquerie more affecting than it otherwise might be.

Millie, too, is drawn with nuance; a smart young teacher who loves Tim and wants the best for him, but whose patience sometimes frays under the weight of his insecurities. Together, they feel less like genre archetypes and more a realistic couple. Their exchanges throughout are natural, laced with a dry wit that feels true to life. At its core, the film is a love story, which works because one believes in Tim and Millie's bond- the tenderness beneath the terror.

Visually, the film is as striking as it is unsettling. Germain McMicking's cinematography cloaks the rural setting in a pall of damp greys and muted greens, evoking both isolation and decay. Further, Nicholas Dare's production design makes the world feel intimate yet suffocating, deeply alive- disquietingly breathing.

In addition, the effects work is impressively tactile, leaning on practical gore and prosthetics rather than CGI, giving things a raw, clammy immediacy. Shanks doesn't flinch from grotesque detail, yet the imagery never tips into gratuity. Just as crucial are the sound design and score: the former wringing dread from creaks, squelches and silences, the latter pulsing uneasily beneath the action without overwhelming it. Further, Sean Lahiff's editing is sharp and economical, ensuring every shock lands with precision.

As Tim and Millie, Dave Franco and Alison Brie's real-life marriage lends their on-screen intimacy a raw authenticity, making Shanks' vision of closeness-turning-hideous even more disturbing. Both deliver powerhouse performances- Franco in particular, showing a vulnerability and range rarely glimpsed in his comedic work. Brie, meanwhile, plays Millie with a sharp mix of exasperation and tenderness, anchoring the film's emotional core. Damon Herriman also does fine work in a supporting role as Millie's work colleague Jamie, whose personable demeanour belies a hidden darkness.

In conclusion, Michael Shanks' 'Together' is bloody great: a grisly reflection of intimacy, co-dependence and the messy realities of love. Dave Franco and Alison Brie work wonderfully together, grounding Shanks' Cronenbergian vision in something startlingly human. With tactile effects, evocative cinematography and a keen ear for dread, the film shows how passion can curdle into possession, with devastating consequences. In short, in the realm of body-horror, 'Together' stands apart.

Body horror is a genre that can be difficult to nail. At its best, it is anxiety-inducing, disturbing, and off-putting, often beyond the point of enjoyment. It is horror, not because of the scary monsters or hidden nightmares, but because of the natural human unease towards bodies being bent and broken in ways they shouldn't. As a horror genre fan, I have become desensitized to most of the tactics used to scare in movies, but body horror, done right, never fails.

Together is almost that movie. It builds anxiety both through body horror and simple awkwardness, but just as it rises to the point of being unbearable, it breaks the tension, either with humor or romance. It does this well, but I was left feeling too comfortable, too comfortable for a movie purporting to be a genre based on the opposite. If they had leaned into the body horror more, unwilling to break, this could've been exceptional, but as it stands, I was left wanting.

For someone who is easily scared or is new to body horror, this film could be great. The humor and romance make it more approachable, but it also detracts from the horror. Certainly not a waste of time, but it sucks to see a film come so close only to miss the mark.

Going into this film completely blind is the play. Absolutely bonkers.

I appreciate an original horror story when it gets executed to perfection. Funny, cringey (in a good way) and downright absurd.

The story is interesting enough and follows cult/folk lore but the performances by Franco and Brie are the high point. Their chemistry is perfect and believable. The film highlights themes of co-dependency and fear of commitment in a truly insane way.

Granted, there are cliched moments that are usually present in the horror genre. And yes, such moments are in this film, but it definitely doesn't take away from the wild ride. This film reminiscences elements from "The Substance" but it warrants its own distinction.

Definitely up there with one of the best horror movies of the year.