With there now being millions of horror films out there, the struggle for filmmakers to find unique concepts is real. Sometimes, they're able to come up with something completely original. Sometimes, taking an already done idea and spinning it on its head is the best way to go. The most original horror movies tend to also be pretty obscure and underhyped. Luckily, streaming service Shudder has quite a few originals under its belt that are true hidden gems. Z is one of them.
The story of Z is relatively simple in its concept. It follows a family, a mother, a father, and their son. Their child starts to talk about his imaginary friend, named Z. It starts out innocently enough, however he starts to act out in some dangerous and sinister ways that they don't know how to handle. It leads to a twisted and dark story, that has the mother questioning her own past and sanity.
While the film is very quiet and understated, it feels unique. It takes its rather simple concept, spins it a little bit to make it interesting, and has some pretty good scares. As a whole, it feels somewhat reminiscent of The Babadook. Z is definitely not as intense or emotionally disturbing as the Australian gem, its themes don't feel quite as heavy, but they almost feel like they could be companion films because of how they're presented.
The best thing about Z is that it doesn't hold back on the scares. While it does have its flaws in terms of its script and story, the acting can feel a little strange as well, this film has some genuinely scary moments. Horror films that are actually scary almost feel like a rare find these days, because everything has been done. The story of a sinister imaginary friend and a scary child, is also not an entirely unique idea. Z however succeeds in making that concept feel fresh and, most importantly, very scary.
There are some jump scares and typical cheap shots that make this movie scary, but it does take it all one step further in a really effective way. Something about this film is just so bleak. The way it's colored and stylized feels depressing and scary, and it's hard not to just feel dread when watching it. The way things are shot, and the way things are slowly revealed to the audience just seem scary. Small flashes of what the monster looks like are intriguing and frightening, and towards the end of the film, everything just spirals. Once things start picking up and the audience can start piecing clues together, it's clear that this probably isn't going to end well for everyone involved.
While this is a supernatural film, it feels very rooted in reality. Nothing about what happens feels magical or surreal. It just feels sad and scary, and even though it's somewhat of a ghost story the way it's portrayed is very realistic. This is a unique quality that not a lot of supernatural horror films, or horror films in general, often have. It makes for a watching experience that can allow the viewer to feel truly moved and touched. Of course, it also allows for more visceral scares.
Some of the imagery here is a bit messed up. It never ventures into an overly gory territory, but there are a few things that happen that just feel kind of disturbing. Making a horror film involving a tormented child can make for some pretty easily obtained disturbing imagery, but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed when kids are involved. Z really doesn't feel like it crosses the line in terms of anything too messed up, gory, or gross. There are however plenty of implied events and plot points that happen in Z, that are very disturbing. This was definitely a smart move. It keeps things tasteful but allows for that cringe factor people seek out when they choose to watch a horror film.
Z is a quiet film that definitely has its flaws. Its bleak tone and subtlety make for a slow burn that some will find slow. The aforementioned issues with script and acting are also a factor. But this is a really solid hidden gem that should have a bit more of a spotlight. Most Shudder Originals tend to fall through the cracks a little bit in terms of wider mainstream success outside of the horror world. Likely, this is because the streaming service is just a lot more niche and doesn't have the reach that some of the heavier hitters like Netflix have. Looking at its catalog though, there are just so many little-known works that deserve more attention, whether they are Shudder Originals or smaller horror films that the service has picked up. That definitely seems to be the case with Z, and it makes one curious for what else Shudder has in store.