It Lives Inside

I watched It Lives Inside (2023) in theaters last night. The story revolves around Samidha, a young woman who has grown distant from her best friend. Her former friend begins exhibiting strange behavior, appearing unusual and carrying a mysterious jar. It's evident that her life is unraveling. When Samidha confronts her about this, it leads to a confrontation that unleashes something that will profoundly affect their lives forever.

Directed by Bishal Dutta in his directorial debut, this film stars Neeru Bajwa (Jatt & Juliet), Megan Suri (Missing), Mohana Krishnan (I Am Frankie), Betty Gabriel (Get Out), and Vik Sahay (Chuck).

It Lives Inside presents a frustrating viewing experience. The premise and initial setup of the storyline are excellent, offering a unique plot with a creature like no other in horror. Megan Suri and Mohana Krishnan deliver remarkable performances, and Dutta utilizes exceptional cinematography and camera angles to build tension. However, the effectiveness of the horror elements are inconsistent. While the attack scenes and intensity are well-executed, the invisible elements often fell short and left me wanting more. The film's conclusion, along with how they handle the creature, feels somewhat corny and unsatisfying.

In summary, It Lives Inside possesses distinctive elements that make it worth a watch, but the horror scenes may not hit like you hope. I would rate it 4.5/10 but still recommend seeing it once for its unique aspects.

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]

A solid tone that is unique through cultural representation yet it's full of recycled & unoriginal tropes. The screenplay is safe without anything bold or daring. The score & high school setting fits in a fun way.

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. A solid tone that is unique through cultural representation yet it's full of recycled & unoriginal tropes. The screenplay is safe without anything bold or daring. The score & high school setting fits in a fun way.

. .

. A solid tone that is unique through cultural representation yet it's full of recycled & unoriginal tropes. The screenplay is safe without anything bold or daring. The score & high school setting fits in a fun way.

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.

The opening scenes were fiendish, giving a tantalizing glimpse of what the movie potentially had in store, which immediately excited me since I didn't know anything at all about the movie. Surprisingly, it didn't take long to dive into the gruesomeness, and the jump scares had a desired effect in the packed theater. The cultural background of the movie made it unique, Indian mythology was a departure from the usual Hollywood horror stuff.

I think the film's great at creating a gripping atmosphere, but it falls slightly short of delivering on it. At its core, it felt like a breath of fresh air, but once it finds its groove, it started following a more formulaic plot, losing some of its originality. Some plot points felt glossed over.

Connection between characters wasn't very strong, I didn't really care for them as much. More focus on Tamira's character at the start would've helped. The ending, while still fine, felt unsatisfactory to me. When i thought of my favorite part of the movie, it was undoubtedly the gripping opening scenes that didn't shy away from the gore. I had hoped for a more intense, slasher-like turn that never materialized. The climax didn't quite meet my expectations. It's a worthwhile first viewing, but I doubt its replay value.

The film doesn't suffer from major flaws but rather minor imperfections. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I believe it had untapped potential. Maybe that's because it's a directorial debut, but for a first effort, it's still quite commendable.