Watch the Review:
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The boundaries of supernatural horror are about to be completely rewritten! Fresh off its haunting debut at the Overlook Film Festival, writer-director James Ross II’s feature film directorial debut, Parasomnia, is coming home.
The film is an absolute triumph that will make you terrified to close your eyes. Landing exclusively on Shudder on September 4, this pulse-pounding chiller takes the inescapable vulnerability of sleep and weaponizes it into a relentless, deeply unsettling experience.
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What is Parasomnia?
Parasomnia is an umbrella medical term for a category of sleep disorders characterized by abnormal behaviors, movements, emotions, perceptions, or dreams that occur while falling asleep, during sleep, or upon waking.
Instead of resting quietly, a person experiencing a parasomnia remains in a state of partial arousal. The brain is stuck between consciousness and sleep.
When Nightmares Bleed Into Reality
The story centers on Riley, a young woman burdened by a tragic past and tormented by severe, crippling night terrors. Her fragile existence completely shatters when her best friend mysteriously vanishes without a trace. As the barrier between her dreaming state and waking life rapidly dissolves, Riley comes to a harrowing realization. The evil entity terrorizing her sleep is no longer confined to her mind. It is hunting her in the real world.
A Deeply Personal and Visceral Nightmare
It takes a truly special horror film to get under my skin these days. But Parasomnia struck a terrifyingly personal chord. Having suffered from severe sleepwalking and night terrors for most of my life, to the point of needing medication to suppress dreaming entirely, this film tapped directly into my rawest fears.
Jasmine Mathews delivers an absolute powerhouse performance as Riley, portraying grief, agony, and sheer terror with an authenticity that makes her character impossibly easy to root for. The film is supported by a stellar all-black ensemble including RJ Brown, Sally Stewart, Stephen Barrington, Danny Brown, and Simon Longnight. However, Mathews anchors the emotional core of this nightmare with an intense, emotional performance.
Culture and Conjuring
A good bit of the story took inspiration from the practice of Hoodoo (not Voodoo; there’s a big difference). We don’t often see Hoodoo featured in horror films, which is a shame; it’s a very interesting topic. You can see the influence in scenes featuring the eye amulet, the ritual required to conjure the eye eater, and the mask that lets you see the past and future.
Let me shed some light on it. Hoodoo, also known as Rootwork or Conjure, is a traditional African American system of folk magic, spiritual defense, and herbalism.
Developed by enslaved West and Central Africans in the American South, Hoodoo blended indigenous African spiritual practices with Native American botanical expertise. IT also features European Christian elements, such as the Book of Psalms.
Unlike Vodoo, which is a structured religion, Hoodoo is a practical, result-oriented tradition. It relies on ancestor veneration, roots, herbs, candles, and protective charms (like mojo bags) to achieve the caster’s goals.
Multiple Twists and an Unmissable Shudder Debut
Director James Ross II makes one hell of a feature directorial debut. Rather than relying on predictable tropes or a single gimmicky reveal, James Ross II injects brilliant new life into the nightmare subgenre. The direction is razor-sharp. It constructs a uniquely gripping narrative packed with multiple jaw-dropping twists. Ones that keep you breathlessly glued to the edge of your seat until the very end.
The Real World and Nightmare Scapes
I have to give props to Ross and to the cinematographers, Mark Doering-Powell and Christopher Lee Fatt. The two worlds, reality and the nightmare world, were clearly defined by a change in both cinematography and the use of red. It was a great choice.
The Verdict:
Parasomnia is a fantastic, horrifying, and emotionally resonant film that demands to be on every horror fan’s watchlist. Watch it when it hits Shudder on September 4. Just do yourself a favor and do not watch it right before you go to bed!
Be sure to check out my interview with Ross and Mathews for behind-the-scenes insights and more.
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