Inside

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.

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)

So-so but acceptable horror movie full of thrills, chills , and shocking scenes starring an adolescent and by a sinister ghoul who goes amok. This Bishal Dutta's feature film directorial debut deals with an Indian-American teenager (Megan Suri) lives in an idyllic suburb with her conservative mother (Neeru Bajwa) and her assimilated father (Vik Sahay) . Sam's cultural insecurities grow due to her estranged friend, Tamira (Mohana Krishnan), who mysteriously carries around an empty mason jar all the time. Along the way, the teen is struggling with her cultural identity has a falling out with her former best friend and, in the process, unwittingly releases a demonic entity that grows stronger by feeding on her lonelines, shattering her reality and life .

This gloomy terror film contains thrills, intrigue, chills, and it connects with India religion, supernatural legends, Gods and Devils from India. Terror film about an ancient demon goes bersek, this is an American supernatural horror film written and directed by Bishal Dutta and starring Megan Suri. Genuinely scary moments overcome some obvious plot devices; this is a juicy gothic material fashioning an iconic monster providing screaming , chilling and eerie scenes. Bishal Dutta, baptized as the new Night Shyalaman by some critics, places the center of this horror film on Samitha, a young Indian, who lives in the USA and rejects her origins in order to fit in at school, what she does not know is that her roots can save her from a terrible threat. This horror films combines deadly rituals, a demonic entity starts targeting on teens, grisly killings and terrifying visions. During the presentation of the film at the prestigious Sitges Horror Film Festival, in its official section director Dutta declared: "Horror is the perfect genre to portray the insecurities of adolescence". As the director explained: ¨A ghost story that his grandfather told him was the origin of the film that explores, through Indian history and demonic forces, the drama of a young emigrant who seeks to find the balance between her dreams and the new culture of the country in which she lives¨.

It Lives Inside(2023) was mediocrely directed by Bishal Dutta and nothing special, that's why it is full of terrifying situations that we had already seen before and even better. The film debuted at the 2023 South by Southwest film festival, and was released by Neon on September 22, 2023. Getting several nominations and prizes, such as: Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival , 2023 Nominated Official Fantàstic Competition Best Motion Picture Bishal Dutta. Leo Awards 2024 Nominado Leo Best Casting in a Motion Picture, Kris Woznesensky , Kara Eide, Daniel Cardona, 2024 Nominado Leo Best Sound Motion Picture Sandra Portman (supervising sound editor) Nolan McNaughton (sound designer) Rob Coxford (re-recording mixer) Daniel Cardona (re-recording mixer) Eric Mouawad (dialogue editor) Shawn Miller (sound mixer) Craig George (sound effects editor) , Bishal Dutta 2024 Nominado Leo Best Direction in a Motion Picture. Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival Bishal Dutta 2023 Nominado Narcisse Award Best Feature Film. SXSW Film Festival Bishal Dutta 2023 winner Audience Award Bishal Dutta. Golden Scythe Horror Awards Megan Suri in It lives inside (2023), 2024 Nominado Golden Scythe.

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.

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.