by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What are healthy ways to process loss? That is probably hard to say because such a sensitive process is so different for so many people. Some like to remember often and focus on the good times, while others can be quite avoidant in terms of confronting this truth. Trying to spend time with, and focusing on, the ones left in your life is also an important piece. But sometimes that can go to extremes. Case in point… The Twin. Shudder presents this new horror film which focuses on the aftermath of a fatal accident. With one child lost, a grieving woman tries to connect with her other son… but he doesn’t seem like himself anymore.
What is director Taneli Mustonen able to do with this narrative of loss and strange findings when coming home? In general, there is an eerie atmosphere to the film, similar to one that a film like The Wicker Man has. This family returns to the father’s homeland and there appears to be a cultish feel to the town. While this grieving woman, Rachel (Teresa Palmer), tries to rekindle with her son, the rest of the town seems to be occupied with the son as well. There is a paranoia that is effectively conveyed by both Mustonen Palmer. Mustonen does not fully avoid cheap horror tropes (there are a few jump scares), but the overall atmosphere of the film lays down plenty of groundwork for tension.
But where does this film truly stand out? The script. This film is not all that it seems. To avoid giving up too much, all that I will say is that our central protagonist might have a different perception of the world around her compared to the other characters on the screen. The film balances that tightrope of going to big twists and just offering up plenty of “narrative” that, in hindsight, mean nothing. But there are enough small details layered in that make the reveals feel completely out of left field. Where the third act takes this story is a much more emotional and tragic journey, but it still delivers plenty of tension and suspense as the dust finally settles.
What about the actor who brings this twisted horror to life? Palmer is given most of the heavy lifting, as she carries the brunt of the emotional baggage that comes along with the narrative. She balances raw emotion and increasing paranoia in a convincing way. Steve Cree, who plays the husband who is slowly forgotten about in favor of his surviving son, is a bit flat, though. There is not a lot of range in his performance, and that becomes harder to swallow as the character is pushed closer to the front of the narrative. What is a creepy kid movie without a good creepy kid performance? Tristan Ruggeri is a fine performer in this capacity as their child begins acting possessed and unhinged in many ways. Shoutout to veteran actress Barbara Marten who is saddled with the horror trope character of the older person in town with knowledge. Marten plays it well and organically.
Does The Twin deliver a worthwhile horror through twisted narratives and skin crawling atmosphere? Mustonen navigates some familiar beats and horror tropes to deliver a shocking and creepy experience. What goes down might not feel as fresh to those with plenty of horror movie experience, but there are enough solid elements to make this enjoyable for horror fans, and the casuals too.
Score: 7/10
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