PopHorror Let's Get Scared
When I first saw the the trailer for Baghead a few months ago, it got me really excited, mainly because it reminded me of Talk to Me which was one of my favorite films of last year. I waited months to hear about a release to finally find out it was coming to Shudder on April 5th. This weekend I had the chance to give it a watch.
Did Baghead meet my expectations? Read on to see.
Baghead Synopsis
A young woman inherits a run-down pub and discovers a dark secret within its basement – Baghead – a shape-shifting creature that will let you speak to lost loved ones, but not without consequence.
Alberto Corredor directed the film from a script written by Christina Pamies and Bryce McGuire (Night Swim), based on Lorcan Reilly’s short. The film stars Freya Allan (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Jeremy Irvine (Paradise Hills), Ruby Barker (Wolfblood), Peter Mullan (Marionette), Anne Muller, Svenja Jung, Ned Dennehy (Mandy), Julika Jenkins (Dark), Saffron Burrows (Deep Blue Sea), and Felix Romer (Blood Glacier).
While Baghead seems to share some similarity with Talk to Me at a surface glance (such as communicating with the dead and characters trying to contact dead loved ones and being given a time limit), the similarities end there. Whereas Talk to Me had a sense of humor that eased you into things before things got crazy, Baghead does not. Baghead plays things completely straight which leads to it being a much darker film. One thing I really liked was that the creature is explained and is in many ways a sympathetic villain who suffered in life and suffered in death.
I really enjoyed Freya Allan and Ruby Barker’s performances as Iris and Katie. They’re friends who came up together and they have each others backs. They really put in the work to make you feel like these two characters really care about each other and would do anything for each other, even if it might not be the wisest choice. Jeremy Irvine was great as Neil, a character who I really hated. He’s the type of douche that thinks he can throw his money around and get whatever he wants with no consequences
The scenes where we see the aforementioned Baghead are nice and creepy. The way she is able to gain control and manipulate the person who is trying use her and get bits of revenge by causing them mental pain is insane. The final act of this film is pretty dark and the ending will punch you in the gut.
Final Thoughts
Baghead is a creepy, unsettling and bleak supernatural horror film. Its got solid performances, a scary yet sympathetic villain and an ending that will leave you gasping. Highly Recommended.
You can stream the film now on Shudder.
