I reviewed Shudder’s Z back in May, so of course, I was excited to get my hands on the Blu-ray a couple of days ago.
As I sat down to watch it with a bag of popcorn, I couldn’t help but wonder if the movie would stand up to my original impression and the 5/5 score I gave it. I was wrong to even question it. It turns out, the Blu-ray is even better. The picture is crisp and the sound is great.
The story itself is fresh, clever, and absolutely unnerving. A lot of people had an imaginary friend as a kid. Imagine if that friend came back when you were an adult and it is hell-bent on destroying your life by using your innocent child. That’s the premise of Z.
The movie follows Elizabeth (Keegan Connor Tracy), a mother whose 8-year-old son has a new playmate, an invisible friend named Z. As her son’s behavior becomes more menacing she begins to wonder if Z is real.
Few movies get under my skin these days, I’ve become a bit jaded, but Z got to me. In fact, it gave me nightmares, the sign of a truly great horror movie! We see so many movies that are all alike these days, but Z is unique. Director Brandon Christensen, who sat down with us for an interview, co-wrote the film along with Colin Minihan did an absolutely amazing job of creating something so dark and spooky.
Besides having a great story and wonderful special effects, the film actually has a range of scares, not only jump scares but scares built with real tension and suspense. It’s a fantastic combination.
There is one moment in the movie, you’ll know which one when you watch it, that caught me so off guard that I found myself sitting there with my jaw on the floor staring in disbelief. It only lasts a second but it will stick in your mind for days. It’s like a punch to the gut.
