Ever since seeing the trailer for "Daniel Isn't Real" I had a very good feeling about it - felt like something right up my isle. I also have to admit that Mortimer's previous feature "Some Kind of Hate" wasn't particularly enjoyable in my book, in fact I gave it a 3/10. However, I'm happy to conclude that "Daniel Isn't Real" is a huge improvement in the directors portfolio & is an ambitious, imaginative and effective portrayal of inner demons, mental illness and also toxic masculinity.
Adam Egypt Mortimer's second feature doesn't work equally great on all levels and consistently through its runtime, but it still impresses. The first hour was disturbingly gorgeous - the tone, the practical effects, acting & production design together made an atmospheric, intriguing and well-paced story of a millennial protagonist (portrayed by Miles Robbins) dealing with past trauma, mental health issues and a vile personal demon called Daniel, given a maniacal and slick appearance by the performance of Patrick Schwarzenegger. Seemingly inspired by the best from several cult films, Mortimer has created an arguably fresh take on schizophrenia in the horror genre, proving that it (the genre) allows to depict emotions and sensations that are otherwise complicated to serve in a readable way. The last thirty or so minutes still keeps the tone, acting & aesthetic intact, but the pacing starts to get a little uneven as new plot turns take place - plot turns which meaning/s I'm not sure of. The word "fantasy", in its more classical sense, comes to mind, unfittingly this time. Not that I didn't understand them, I just question their necessity and impact on the rest of story, I felt like the ending could've been, should've been even more morally messed up.
For the most part I loved "Daniel Isn't Real" in and out, but, nearing the end, something that can be described as underwhelming crept up in me. Nevertheless, it has established itself as one of my favorite horror indies of 2019 & comes as a strong recommendation from me to everyone who loves their schizo, psycho, psychedelic, atmospheric and mentally messed up horror movies. My rating: 7/10.
Adam Egypt Mortimer's second feature doesn't work equally great on all levels and consistently through its runtime, but it still impresses. The first hour was disturbingly gorgeous - the tone, the practical effects, acting & production design together made an atmospheric, intriguing and well-paced story of a millennial protagonist (portrayed by Miles Robbins) dealing with past trauma, mental health issues and a vile personal demon called Daniel, given a maniacal and slick appearance by the performance of Patrick Schwarzenegger. Seemingly inspired by the best from several cult films, Mortimer has created an arguably fresh take on schizophrenia in the horror genre, proving that it (the genre) allows to depict emotions and sensations that are otherwise complicated to serve in a readable way. The last thirty or so minutes still keeps the tone, acting & aesthetic intact, but the pacing starts to get a little uneven as new plot turns take place - plot turns which meaning/s I'm not sure of. The word "fantasy", in its more classical sense, comes to mind, unfittingly this time. Not that I didn't understand them, I just question their necessity and impact on the rest of story, I felt like the ending could've been, should've been even more morally messed up.
For the most part I loved "Daniel Isn't Real" in and out, but, nearing the end, something that can be described as underwhelming crept up in me. Nevertheless, it has established itself as one of my favorite horror indies of 2019 & comes as a strong recommendation from me to everyone who loves their schizo, psycho, psychedelic, atmospheric and mentally messed up horror movies. My rating: 7/10.