Sleep as a source of horror is nothing new. Indeed, one of horror’s most enduring franchises turned the traditionally safe haven of sleep into a realm of mortal danger with A Nightmare On Elm Street. James Ross II’s Parasomnia takes this well-worn concept and plumbs it for new ways to terrify us.
Riley has a long history of trouble when it comes to sleep. In a prologue taking place ten years before the film, we see that bad things happen when Riley experiences night terrors. In the present day, she and her boyfriend, Cam, are on vacation with her long time best friend, David, and his partner when she begins to once again experience monstrous, inexplicable occurrences when she falls asleep. As things spiral out of control, she begins to realize none of this may be a coincidence.
Off the bat, this might seem like another run-of-the-mill, “don’t fall asleep or else” horror film, but Parasomnia stands out in two distinct ways. One, Riley’s problems with night terrors are only a symptom of something far more sinister and cruel, something that has infiltrated every aspect of her life, something far more complex than anything I’ve seen before in such a film. And two, this film has a welcome depiction of platonic friendship with Riley and David. Bonded through tragedy early in life, the two of them care for one another more deeply than they do their actual romantic partners. There’s a refreshing authenticity to their relationship, something deeply endearing that adds a layer to the horror that unfolds in the movie.
Unfortunately, what sets the film apart from other “sleep is spooky” horror films is also one of its biggest weaknesses. Ross is a talented enough filmmaker to where they could have stayed in a more traditional lane and still made a competent horror film. Instead, they chose to swing for the fences and introduce a plot element later on in the movie that adds an interesting layer to the film, but also begins to drag it down under an increasingly complex narrative. Credit is given for swinging for the fences, but it feels like Ross was, at times, seeing what stuck and the film seems to waver under the weight of it all. It struggles to bring everything together before the end.
Parasomnia probably isn’t the scariest movie you’ll see this Halloween season, but it’s ambitious enough that you’ll be able to overlook any flaws. There’s a touching, subtle story of friendship that adds an unexpected hint of sweetness and tragedy to the film, and it’s got just enough spooky imagery to get under your skin.
