It Lives Inside

I saw It Lives Inside early as part of Regal's Mystery Movie Monday. I already had it on my watchlist so I was happy with the choice. The outcome though, not so much.

It takes a long while to get going, for the story to progress, and to see anything scary. Even when it does get going, it's fairly underwhelming aside from one scene in the middle. After that scene, I felt mildly positive about the movie. But I found the third act and conclusion to be a huge letdown. And the movie overall feels ordinary within the horror genre.

Part of the reason the horror elements feel weak is the PG-13 rating. This movie should have absolutely been rated R. If they weren't restricted, some of these scenes could have been shocking. They sometimes do a decent job of pushing the limits or creatively showing what they can. But it's not enough and feels like it's holding back.

There are some good elements here. And I can see some people liking this. But it just didn't do it for me. It reminded me of a significantly restrained and much worse version of Smile. Watch that instead.

(1 viewing, early screening Mystery Movie Monday 9/4/2023)

In my humble opinion, PG-13 rated horror movies should be made illegal. "It Lives Inside" attempted to infuse horror with a cultural identity prism, but unfortunately, its weak and flawed narrative overshadowed this unique angle. The film was a tapestry of clichés, from the predictable jump scares to the tired plot twists that left little room for genuine surprise. While the inclusion of cultural elements was promising, it couldn't salvage the movie from its formulaic approach.

"It Lives Inside" missed the mark by relying heavily on overused horror tropes, detracting from any potential impact it could have had. The attempt to intertwine cultural identity with horror was an interesting concept, but the lackluster execution and reliance on clichés ultimately hindered its potential. In a genre that thrives on innovation and fear, this movie fell short, failing to leave a lasting impression.

As a horror fan, I was excited to watch this horror flick by a director who was debuting.

For me, the movie was just bland. Nothing was new in it, it was just the same old story which has been told and shown hundreds of time. The screenplay was average as it could have been more tight, the direction was also average but a decent one for a debut director, the performances were just okay as the characters were not that much convincing.

Overall, it was neither a good nor a bad horror movie. All blame goes to a bland-outdated story which weak execution. If you want to give it a try, you can but don't keep expectations.

Right from the opening with its macabre long take, "It Lives Inside" establishes a sense of dread that persists throughout this descent into hell. Competent but derivative, the final result takes us into familiar formulas and a predictable rhythm that prevent us from fully immersing ourselves in the madness.

The direction allows for terrifying imagery and creative camera movements, which are, however, trapped within a poorly woven script. The demonic presence is there, the great strength of this film lies in the grim atmosphere soaked in red and black. Indian customs and Hindu mythology add personality and richness to the film, which is greatly appreciated even if the potential is not fully realized.

There's something to be said about the work on the practical special effects, considering the production budget. Despite a certain lack of originality, the supernatural manifestations follow one another, delivering an allegory about depression and an interesting message about cultural acceptance. A feeling of déjà vu? "It Lives Inside" borrows current themes that appear in several modern horror films and stumbles slightly in execution. Eventually, we fall into a zone of predictability and a trap of clichés that prevents the final work from reaching its full potential.

Also worth noting is the presence of the young lead actress, Megan Suri, who should catch Hollywood's attention after her performance. All in all, it's an intriguing mix of satanic incantations, cultural immersion, and teen horror that should find its audience upon its theatrical (or streaming) release.

It Lives Inside had an interesting premise or at least it could have being slightly different from most other Hollywood movies of this kind. But it chooses to stay in its lane and work its way through many well-known horror movie tropes. The movie is sadly rather forgettable and does not stand out a bit. There is a mostly invisible entity following our protagonist killing everybody she comes too close to. In the third act the creature is made visible which I have to say looked pretty cool and I enjoyed those visuals overall. Also I have to give the movie that it has some scary and eerie scenes that were really tension filled. But overall this movie did not manage to convince me to ever watch it again I think. The fact that the movie is PG-13 should have given me a hint that this can't be that great. [5,5/10]