The next PG-13 horror film from Blumhouse, Imaginary has the earnest of the indie drama’s that have made them a respected production company. It balances this independent aesthetic with a clever horror concept that invites viewers to both be scared and emotionally affected.
In Imaginary, Jess (DeWanda Wise) is moving into her childhood home with her new family. Unfortunately, this move is upsetting to both of her step-daughters, Alice (Pyper Braun) and Taylor (Taegen Burns). Alice is still recovering from their mother being taken away to a psychiatric facility and Jess’ efforts to connect with her and Taylor seem obsolete. To cope, Alice starts talking to and playing games with her imaginary friend Chauncy, a stuffed bear. Then, when Jess’ husband Max (Tom Payne) leaves to go on tour, Jess is left dealing with her step-daughters and a persistent creative block. Her efforts to draw new characters for her children’s books then become inspired by Alice’s relationship with Chauncy. Soon though, Chauncey and Alice’s relationship becomes increasingly unstable and Jessica must confront Alice’s feelings head on to find out what to do about her imaginary friend.
The film thrives off its premise. The collision of Jess trying to help adjust to her new home with her step-daughters creates a foundation of familial drama that you care about. When the horror elements present themselves, it only helps to exasperate the tension between family members as Jess explores Alice’s situation in more depth. Jess is forced to confront her own childhood trauma and the way the two intertwine carries the second half of the film. The use of childhood imagery like nightlights and stuffed bears are also used well within the horror concept and effectively make the audience scared by these symbols of comfort and safety.
Unfortunately, the second half of the film ends up leaving these themes unfulfilled. The ending and concept feels exasperated as the story keeps adding onto details about the rules of imaginary friends that only ends up bogging the film down. The film seems to keep going for jump scares and memorable horror moments but never truly gets scarier than what happens as we break into the third act. This makes the ending mostly a disappointment as the film forgets to increase the stakes or expand on its themes in favor of an epic saviour moment and a final image that is a favourite of action films. Despite having really restrained action, the final part of the film really relies on the tension of whether or not all of our characters will come out alive instead of scaring the audience effectively with clever scares.
The story does do well at staying interesting. Besides the ending, no situation or scene feels too long and it maintains a constant sense of intrigue and tension as we try to decipher what might happen in this horror scenario. Alice has a scavenger hunt list and the mystery around what she has to do and why makes the audience worry about Alice’s health in an effective use of tension.
Never does it feel like they’re staying in the house for the sake of the budget and that allows the third act to have more intriguing and well designed sets. The effects of the film are also mostly subtle but are still effective at achieving the horror atmosphere that the film strives for. The creature in the film does looks menacing but it could have been aided by CGI.
The acting is fitting, with Pyper Braun doing the best job in the whole cast as she carries some really demanding emotional moments. DeWanda Wise is able to hold down her role as the protagonist but she had a screen prescience that didn’t demand attention. The rest of the crafts are professionally done and fitting for the Blumhouse brand but no element felt like a true step up for the horror genre.
The themes of trauma and creativity, while being hinted at through the first two acts, peter out by the final act. The scenario that it places the characters in favoured a physical resolution rather than an emotional resolution. As a result, it fails to explore its themes with any more depth. It ends up as a film that was both trying to tell a complete story and one that contained the signature moments in a horror movie that would make teenagers talk about how scary the film was with their friends. Imaginary fails to be either of those films but does have moments that will likely make this film a success and keep the audience member who wants horror or an emotionally developed story satisfied.
Imaginary is available in theatres on Friday, March 8th, 2024.
