If I were grading this horror flick on atmosphere, creepiness, and actual scares, I’d give it a much higher rating. If I were rating it exclusively on coherence and narrative, I’d rate it lower. So what to do? What to do? I know… three stars!

This is where I usually give a quick rundown of the plot… and I’m not sure if I can do that. It’s a tale set in a mansion and a hospital about three or four characters who are sometimes alive, sometimes less so. And a wooden figure that’s creepier than a dozen low effort horror films combined. And… I dunno… people are murdered, I guess. And not. Toes are bitten, I’m sure of that.

This is a hell of an effective spooky flick that nails its visual murk and creepy soundscape with ease. I was really digging the flick while just waiting for the story to pick up… and getting some solid scares out of it.

But I guess I need more than that and the plot – such as it is – is far too esoteric for my tastes. Surreal moments are all well and good, but when they take over and I’m left wondering if any of this is happening, why any of it matters, or what any of it means, I’m left indifferent to the atmospherics.

I suspect the movie might work better on rewatch though. Maybe with a better understanding of the filmmaker’s language and logic, I might come around to a better score, one that meets the film’s weirdness on its own. But that’s not the flick I experienced.

But, hey, it’s still a genuinely creepy movie, just wish I could have tolerated it story and character more… plus the entire final act that starts to feel like its running out the clock (much less the sputter of a finale). In the end, I was left disappointed and indifferent.

Score: 75