Together

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.

There's a basic principle in filmmaking that's as old as time. If you set up your characters correctly the audience will always be invested and that's EXACTLY what you get here.

From the opening you see our main characters struggles with their relationship and how they wanted to please the other but fail multiple times. The movie hit the themes of complacency and dependency and tries to disguise it as love in moments that work FLAWLESS.

The actual scares are actually VERY EFFECTIVE and there's one at night that made me jump because of the sheer claustrophobic nature of the camera angles and shots.

Ending: Definitely the most controversial part of the film for me. I obviously won't spoil but it completely almost ruined the film for me. It just kinda really took me out. I initially thought it would end in a different way and kinda hoped it would but no. Again that ending is really BAD so again beware that but besides that I thought this was a nice horror film.

Together follows Tim and Millie, who find themselves at a crossroads when they move to the countryside, abandoning all that is familiar in their lives except each other. With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh.

The film sets everything up well. The characters, the relationship, the setting. I liked all that. The story itself was good, but the overall experience felt a bit flat and underwhelming. Things should have happen faster. When the horror, tension, or weirdness finally shows up, it's good. But it doesn't stay there. It never really sits in the moment. More time should have been spent in those moments once they happened, not necessarily more things to happen. It felt like the film was holding back when it should've leaned in. More should've happened emotionally and visually. It felt like it could've gone deeper or darker, and I was ready for it. That's one of my big issues with the film. The body horror and supernatural elements are there, but they could've gone harder with it.

The trailer gave away a lot, so if you've seen it, you've probably already caught most of the big horror moments. That takes away some of the surprise, which is a shame, because the film does have its own story to tell. It's straightforward and easy to follow.

What worked really well was the emotional side of it. The relationship felt real. You could see yourself in these two people, and what they're going through feels honest. Dave Franco and Alison Brie are great together. You can tell they're a real couple. There's a natural chemistry between them that makes everything feel more believable, especially as things start to fall apart. There are also a few funny little moments between them that break up the tension in a nice way, without messing with the overall vibe.

Overall, Together is a solid but not groundbreaking horror/drama. It explores some interesting ideas. I just wish it had pushed things further emotionally and visually. It had all the right pieces. It just didn't go far enough with them.

I enjoyed it. It was a unique wtf horror/romance with some moments of humour. I thought Dave and Alison played their parts very well and as a real life couple it helped with their on screen chemistry. I hope they continue to do horror together because it worked. The story is pretty much spoiled in all the trailers but the ending caught me off a bit and the final scene before credits was a bit laughable and silly but overall I enjoyed the film and was glued to it til the end.