Luke McWilliams gives his review of the 2022 Finnish body horror film, Hatching, starring Sophia Heikkilä and Siiri Solalinna.
Popular lifestyle vlogger ‘Mother’ (Sophia Heikkilä) tries to film her latest video showing off her ‘perfect’ family; Father (Jani Volanen), young Matias (Oiva Ollila) and 12-year-old gymnast Tinja (Siiri Solalinna). Soon however, a large black bird bursts into the living room, causing complete havoc! After disposing of the rascal, Tinja cries over an egg that the crow left behind, and chooses to nurse it herself.
The movie serves as a metaphor for the shadow-self and the consequences of repressing aspects of oneself. Tinja is so desperate for her perfectionist, demanding and emotionally manipulative mother’s approval that she devotes herself to competing in gymnastics. Tinja is shy, introspective and overly self-disciplined in contrast to her extrovert, ex-skating competitor Mother whom the entire family lives in the shadow of; Matias is dressed similarly to Father who has accepted Mother’s extramarital affairs.
Something has to break, and it does in the form of an eggshell, which hosts a being that is a blend of both the chaotic nature of the world outside the picture-perfect household and that of Tinja’s discarded emotions and repressed rage.
The creature is practical, invoking imagery of Jim Henson’s work in The Dark Crystal and the original Star Wars movies, giving the movie a quirky tone bordering on fantasy, horror and satirical comedy. As the being grows, the ultimate identity of Tinja is called into question. Who, or what, will prevail?
Verdict: A brilliantly quirky and disturbing coming-of-age horror which satirises the pitfalls of social media. 5 stars.
- Luke McWilliams | themovieclub.net
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