Imaginary is a new horror movie from Blumhouse, which makes all the scary movies. The movie is directed by Jeff Wadlow, who also directed Truth or Dare. Unfortunately, all the reviews say that Imaginary is not good.
The story is about a woman named Jessica, played by DeWanda Wise. She’s a children’s book author who moves into her childhood home with her new family. That includes her husband Max and his two daughters from a previous marriage – a teenager named Taylor and a younger girl named Alice.
After they move in, Alice finds an old teddy bear and says it’s her new imaginary friend, Chauncey. At first, this seems normal, but many kids have imaginary friends. But things start to get strange and scary as Chauncey influences Alice negatively.
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The movie tries to tackle some deeper themes. Jessica feels out of place in her new family. There are hints about tough things in her childhood, especially with her dad. We also learn that Alice and Taylor’s mom has mental health issues. The movie says imagination can be an escape and a danger.
The movie becomes increasingly complex. An old neighbor named Gloria, who used to babysit Jessica, shows up and talks about weird, magical things. The movie goes from a scary movie about a possessed toy to a fantasy. A hidden door leads to a weird world where imaginary friends trap lost children.
Both reviews say the movie tells its story poorly. They say the dialogue (the characters’ words) is very basic and needs to be more real. The reviewers think the actors could do better because of the bad script.
The movie also gets criticized for not being scary enough. For a horror movie it doesn’t have many jump scares or tense moments. It doesn’t have much violence or gore, which some horror fans might expect. Instead, it relies more on what could be scary than showing scary things.
Another problem the reviews point out is that the movie doesn’t borrow less from other films and shows. They mention similarities to movies like Coraline, Ted, Hide and Seek, Poltergeist, and TV shows like Stranger Things. The reviewers say Imaginary doesn’t do anything new or interesting with these borrowed ideas.
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The movie’s visual style is also subject to criticism. One review says it looks like a car commercial, which means it looks too clean and perfect for being scary. The special effects for the fantasy world could be more impressive.
Both reviews say the plot gets confusing, especially towards the end. They say it introduces new rules and ideas without explaining them well. This makes it hard to understand or believe what’s happening.
The director, Jeff Wadlow, wanted to make a horror movie that would appeal to a wide audience, like some popular scary movies of the 80s. He wanted it to be fun, like a rollercoaster ride. But the reviewers say he failed at that. They say the movie needs to be faster and more thrilling to be fun, like a rollercoaster.
One good thing mentioned is that the movie’s concept could have been good. A creepy imaginary friend could be scary and fun. However, the reviewers say that imagination needs to live up to its potential. They think it could have been a campy, funny horror movie like M3gan or Child’s Play, but they are still determining what kind of movie it wants to be.
The reviews also criticize how the movie handles trauma. Many recent horror movies have used trauma as a theme, but the reviewers say Imaginary doesn’t do it well. They say it uses the word without explaining its meaning or how it affects people.
As for the acting, DeWanda Wise, who plays Jessica, is described as a good actress. But the reviews say even she can only do a little with the bad dialogue and story she’s given. They also mention Betty Buckley, who plays the neighbor Gloria, and say her role could have been fun but isn’t as enjoyable as it should be.
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Both reviews compare Imaginary to other recent Blumhouse movies and say it’s one of the worst. Blumhouse, which produces many movies quickly and cheaply, might have quality control issues. While some of their movies are big hits, others could be better liked by critics or audiences.
In a nutshell, Imaginary is a disappointing horror movie. It had an interesting concept – a creepy imaginary friend – but the reviews say it needs to tell the story better. The dialogue is too simple, the plot gets confusing, and the story needs to be more scary and exciting. It borrows too much from other better movies and shows and adds nothing new. The reviewers say it needs to be more forgettable and worth watching than other horror movies.
Both reviews say Imaginary movie is a waste. It could have been a fun, scary movie with a better script and direction. Instead, they say it could be more varied, clearer, and more imaginative – ironic for a movie about imagination.