Imaginary (2024) Review – A Horror Film Lacking Imagination
While DeWanda Wise delivers a notable performance, the story of “Imaginary” makes it for naught.
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Plot Summary
Jessica and Max have just left the city to move into Jessica’s father’s old house with Max’s two children, Taylor and Alice. Max’s last marriage ended tumultuously due to his ex having mental health issues. However, Alice is trying to move on and see Jessica as a caregiver as Taylor continues to give Jessica pushback.
Unfortunately for Jessica, she and Max are creatives, with Max being a musician, so he is often on the road, and while their things are settled, the girls aren’t yet when he has to get back to work. So, while Taylor continues to be a 15-year-old with a chip on her shoulder, Alice latches onto a stuffed bear she finds named Chauncey.
Originally, Jessica writes it off as something that gives Alice comfort, but as the conversations Alice has with Chauncey get worrisome, and what Alice does to appease her imaginary friend, Jessica is forced to recollect what led her to leave her father’s house when she was five years old.
Character Guide
| Character’s Name | Actor’s Name |
| Jessica | DeWanda Wise |
| Max | Tom Payne |
| Taylor | Taegen Burns |
| Alice | Pyper Braun |
Character Description(s)
Jessica
An artist who is the creator of a popular children’s series, Jessica has been utilizing her vivid imagination since childhood. Some may say her imagination stemmed from her mother’s tragic death or her father’s inability to care for her soon after. But we learned that even before both events, she made cartoons on her walls and loved to create stories and games.
- The actor is also known for their role in “The Weekend.”
Max
Max, a recently divorced musician, has two daughters that he loves dearly and a new wife with whom he is trying to start a new life. However, with his ex-wife mentally ill, creating a blended family has been a challenge.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Prodigal Son.”
Taylor
At fifteen years old, Taylor is at that age where Jessica trying to go back and forth between being a friend and an authority figure doesn’t work for her and leads to nasty comments. But, in Taylor’s defense, she saw the downfall of her parents’ marriage, has been uprooted from her friends and old school, and with her dad away, she is coerced to get along with a woman who knows too much and sometimes talks in a way that sounds like pity.
Alice
While it isn’t clear how old Alice is, what is clear is that she does miss her mom, and while Jessica is fairly new, she is growing attached to her. However, with how suddenly her mom had to be taken away, Alice’s attachment to Jessica is insecure and opens her up for certain beings to try to take advantage of her.
Review
Good If You Like
- Horror movies featuring children
- Adults dealing with childhood trauma
- Villains that are spiritual or occult entities
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On The Fence
It’s Very Formulaic
Unfortunately, “Imaginary” doesn’t dig deep and pursue something new. From the creepy, sometimes sweet kid, disgruntled teenager, weird person who explains everything, to the villain who is pushed not so much to be evil but a misunderstood spirit, it is all there. The only part of the generic book of horror movie formulas not followed when it comes to “Imaginary” is a Black person dying first in the film.
It’s Attempt At Getting You Emotional
DeWanda Wise really does put in a gallant effort to make “Imaginary” more than it is. Between the relationship Jessica tries to forget with Alice, how she taps into Jessica’s trauma from losing her mom or the struggles of having a father who needs around-the-clock care, Wise presents the idea that while you may not take this movie seriously, she will take her role seriously.
Which, I gotta admit, sometimes may get to you. When Max is away, and things with Chauncey are beginning to pick up, Jessica’s struggle to keep the household going and be some semblance of a good mom to these girls, knowing the person their birth mother is, could potentially get you teary-eyed.
Alas, Wise might be an immensely talented actress, but the movie eventually wins the battle and doesn’t let her become a consistent silver lining.
Background Information
| Director(s) | Jeff Wadlow |
| Writer(s) | Jeff Wadlow, Jason Oremland, Greg Erb |
| Based On Work By | N/A |
| Date Released | March 7, 2024 |
| Where To Watch | In Theaters |
| Genre(s) | Drama |
| Film Length | 1 Hour 44 Minutes |
| Content Rating | Rated PG-13 |
| Content Information | Dialog: Cursing | Violence: Amputation/Dismemberment, Blood, Self-Harm | Sexual Content: N/A | Miscellaneous: Body Horror |
