Posted in: Horror, IFC, Movies, Review, Shudder | Tagged: amc, horror, ifc, ifc midnight, kyle edward ball, Review, shudder, skinamarink

Skinamarink Brings Horror & Visual Dread To Viewers [Review]

A unique experience awaits those who wish to watch Kyle Edward Ball's film Skinamarink and they're all horrifically delightful.

Skinamarink, directed by Kyle Edward Ball, is a horror film filled with extensive dread and visually upsetting illusions that overcome the slight lull it experiences in the middle. The film revolves around two children who wake up in the middle of the night to find their father is missing and all the windows and doors in their home have vanished. 

Skinamarink Is An Excellent Example Of How Silence Can Build Tension

There's a unique distinction between this film and other horror or found footage films. Skinamarink shows itself diving into the abyss of liminal space and "back rooms" that feel like an odd familiarity to those of us that remember the dread of childhood (and often adult) nightmares. The length of the film leaves some unnecessary gaps between moments of genuine dread that could have continually shaken the core of the viewer. While many could enjoy the depth and tone of this film no matter what, it risks leaving out a larger audience because of these gaps and lulls. Ball's low-budget horror story effectively brings a longing to be let go by the unforgiving tension it presents shot after shot. The last 40 minutes of the film are what bring the terror to an all-time high with imagery that takes away any level of comfort from the suburban home setting or cartoon show background noises of childhood. The dialogue may be minimal, but when it happens, it can develop such a sensational terror, and it makes the film incredibly effective in the story it attempts to tell. 

Continually there's a feeling that what is in front of you should not be witnessed by anyone outside of the home, yet you become stuck. Many points in Skinamarink produce that excellent sense of misplacement of the viewer and confusion as to whether safety is guaranteed or not. This isn't the film for every horror fan. Outside of the issue around unnecessary or overused shots, it is a slow build that produces a sense of anxiety in almost every moment of the film. Skinamarink isn't filled with constant jump scares like major horror films can often produce. You'll either grow to love the movie, despise it or become its number-one fan. Often there's second guessing whether something was on screen or not.

 This was a nightmare of a journey through the foundational fears experienced by young children as doors and windows disappear and then come back, same with their parents. Skinamarink will likely become a horror film that continues to be dissected by fans and new theories tested. The lack of cause and origin for the evil present in the movie only adds to the brilliant level of terror produced by Ball. The last moments of Skinamarink are absolutely fantastic, bringing such a level of horrific optical illusion to the screen that lasts long after you've shut it off. For many horror fans, this will be a film that stays with them forever, and that's a twisted admiration not many will understand. Ball's film will begin a limited theatrical run starting on January 13th and will be released on Shudder for streaming later this year.

Skinamarink

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Review by Brittney Bender

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9/10

A tour through a story of dread, horrific visual illusions, and liminal space that brings you in and out of your comfort zone in many ways. While some shots or scenes could have been cut out, the majority of the film produces an excellent display of how tension and silence can be a horror film's best friend.

Credits

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Director & Writer

Kyle Edward Ball

Production

Shudder

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