“There are fates worse than death,” says a character half-way through “Incarnate,” and one of them happens to be this movie. Strident rhetoric is required for describing Brad Peyton’s latest film, a maddening hodgepodge of ideas that range from undercooked to unoriginal.
The problems begin with the premise. Dr. Seth Ember (Aaron Eckhart) is a battered scientist who has the remarkable, albeit mentally debilitating, ability to enter the subconscious minds of the demonically possessed. He has built an impressive career with this skill. So impressive, in fact, that one day someone from the Vatican is sent to visit Ember, now handicapped after a tragic car crash.
That representative, played by Catalina Sandino Moreno, is there to enlist Ember and his team (played by Keir O’Donnell and Breanne Hill) to perform an exorcism on a young boy suffering. Ember quibbles with the word choice. He prefers “evict” to “exorcise”; he doesn’t want his work bound by theology.
The Vatican agent then slyly (and with a straight face) slides a briefcase across the desk. Ember opens it. Instead of emanating a gold light, it’s filled with cash. Our protagonist remains unimpressed. It takes a conversation with an old friend to understand the magnitude of the demon haunting this preteen. The satanic creature is one from his past, a familiar face he’s been trying to banish since learning of his special gift at age 26.
Peyton proceeds to drag us into the subconscious minds of Ember’s patients. Despite the haphazard nature of “Incarnate,” there is a methodology to Ronnie Christensen’s script. Unfortunately, the construct bares an uncanny resemblance to the labyrinthine dreamscapes of Christoper Nolan’s “Inception.” Ember sits across from the somnambulant child, controlled by a malevolent Otherness, and then proceeds to wade into his subconscious. It’s hard to tell whether these worlds are dreams or nightmares, fueled by the subconscious or unconscious.
What’s clear are the rules: mainly, Ember has roughly eight minutes to establish a connection with the kid and convince him that everything around him — his friends, his supportive father — is not real. The oscillation from dream to reality is something “Inception” took time to perfect. Nolan’s calculations were messy, and at times convoluted, but he showed his work. “Incarnate” inexplicably goes in the other direction.
To exit the subconscious, the patient must realize he is not in reality. Once he does this, it’s up to that person to jump out of a window and essentially kill themselves — similar to “the kick” in Nolan’s universe, but more severe and less interesting.
There are more concepts to understand in Peyton’s world, but there’s no reason why someone should invest the time to do so. Issues of continuity and logic pale in comparison to how the film forces Eckhart to act. It’s rare that we see someone as talented as Eckhart be relegated to work this shoddy and dispiriting. With his unkempt blond streaks and unshaven face, Eckhart has been asked to be The Broken Man. His life is dictated by “evicting” demons which, you can imagine, takes a toll on one’s mental stability.
There’s nothing inherently tedious about a character of this nature, but Eckhart is unable to enliven this material. He’s rote and repetitive, incapable of injecting palpable emotion or drama to his character, to this film. Each line delivery is so painfully melodramatic you’d think every scene is the dramatic climax of the film. There’s no build-up in his speech; just punchlines. The punches don’t land, though, and how could they?
Blumhouse Productions has done a spectacular job cultivating popular, in-house horror franchises (“Paranormal Activity,” “Insidious,” “The Purge,” “Sinister”). But the flip side to their touted business model, in which they reportedly spend between $3 and $5 million per project, is the overwhelming feeling that some of these titles were made on an assembly line.
This may appear anecdotal, but I think it’s significant that, on the day their latest film is being released in theaters across the country, the Blumhouse Twitter account has put out a grand total of zero tweets about “Incarnate.” That fact is as silly as it is telling. In the history of film promotion, I’ve never seen a company support a film by not supporting the film. Perhaps we’re entering a new marketplace where inactivity has become the newest form of advertising.
Or, perhaps, the people who made the film are as unenthusiastic about the final result as anyone who wound up watching it this weekend.
13 Must-See Horror Movies After 'It,' From 'Green Room' to 'It Follows' (Photos)
"Starry Eyes" (2014)
Written & directed by Kevin Kolsch, Dennis Widmyer
Cool imagery, solid performances, and a harrowing take on how far a person will go to become a star.
Available to rent: Amazon Video, YouTube, iTunes
"Honeymoon" (2014)
Directed by Leigh Janiak
Janiak made a solid directorial debut with "Honeymoon." The whole film rests on the shoulders of the two leads with excellent chemistry who take you through a well-paced story of paranoia and freaky scares.
Available to rent: iTunes, Vudu, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV
"What We Do in the Shadows" (2015)
Written & directed by Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement
This film is a joyride of a horror comedy. This mockumentary stars all of your favorite monsters, and will make you smile with it’s charm.
Available to rent: Amazon Video, iTunes
"Goodnight Mommy" (2015)
Written & directed by Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala
I caught this out of Fantasia 2015, and was blown away. I admittedly shielded my eyes during the more torture-y parts at the end, but I didn’t see the twists, and it’s one of the most visually stunning genre films in recent years.
Available to rent: Amazon Video, YouTube, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play Movies & TV
"The Visit" (2015)
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Fun story: I was invited by my former boss Steven Schneider (and EP on the film) to a small screening, and he wouldn’t tell me what it was. I walk in and M. Night is there and only a couple of other people. I was so scared, and unfortunately was sitting in the front row so everyone could see me jump. I was over found footage, but I powered through that element because the story is so fun to watch unfold. Signature Shyamalan Twist works like a charm, and with this and "Split" getting great reviews it’s great to have M. Night back.
"Green Room" (2016)
Written & directed by Jeremy Saulnier
As a huge fan of "Blue Ruin," I was equally as impressed with how "Green Room" as a a brutally relentless thriller that is both tense and entertaining.
Available to rent: Amazon Video, YouTube, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play Movies & TV
The Guest (2014)
Directed by Adam Wingard.
I caught this on the big screen at Next Fest in 2014. Maika Monroe and Dan Stevens are captivating to watch. Period. It’s a quick-paced thriller wrapped into a poppy homage to throwback horror films.
"In Order of Disappearance" (2014)
Directed by Hans Petter Moland
I was lucky enough to see this at Fantastic Fest in 2014. It’s an intense Norwegian revenge story set against the beautifully snowy backdrop of Norway in winter. Tonally it reminded me of "Fargo" with added thriller elements and tense scenes.
Available to rent: Amazon Video, YouTube, iTunes
"Afflicted" (2014)
Written & directed by Derek Lee, Clif Prowse
I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Lee and Prowse put a unique spin on the well-tread vampire sub genre by giving the viewer an experience of what it’s like to make the transition into a vampire after you’ve been bitten by one. Shot on a very limited budget, the effects are impressive and mostly practical and they make great use of the docu-style filmmaking.
Available on Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu
"Hush" (2016)
Directed by Mike Flanagan
Home invasion movie out of SXSW 2016. Reminiscent of "The Strangers" and "Wait Until Dark," it’s a very minimalist movie, and is intense, nonstop and entertaining. It’s low budget, but it doesn’t take away from the quality in this gem.
Available to rent: Netflix
"The Taking of Deborah Logan" (2014)
Directed by Adam Robitel
Jill Larson carries the film well in the title role that requires her to go from happy to sad to positively terrifying in the same scene. I wish it wasn’t found footage because I felt like that was one of the weak elements of it, but if you want to watch a possession film that won’t disappoint give this a look. I’m excited to see what Robitel does with "Insidious 4."
Available to rent: Amazon Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV
"Under the Skin" (2014)
Directed by Jonathan Glazer
This film is gorgeous. It’s eerie. It’s an artsy take on "Species," and will gross you out as much as it will impress you with it’s visuals. It’s a very polarizing film, but the lovely Scarlett Johansson makes it work on so many levels. It’s sure to stick with you after viewing.
Available to rent: Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, iTunes
"It Follows" (2014)
Written and Directed by David Robert Mitchell.
I’m sure you’ve at least heard of this film. A testament to its quality is that it’s one of the few films horror films to get an expanded release after doing high number in its limited run. Spooky soundtrack, 80’s vibes, and a new twist on the slasher sub-genre. Watch this in the dark. There are multiple gasp-worthy scenes.
Available to buy: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies & TV, iTunes
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Kailey Marsh, creator of BloodList.com, gives the scoop on movies to keep you up at night
"Starry Eyes" (2014)
Written & directed by Kevin Kolsch, Dennis Widmyer
Cool imagery, solid performances, and a harrowing take on how far a person will go to become a star.
Available to rent: Amazon Video, YouTube, iTunes