My quick rating - 3,3/10. I felt like this flick was just teasing me with potential, but the execution leaves much to be desired. A man returns to his family’s vacation home, the site of a horrific event during his 10th birthday, in hopes of uncovering the truth behind his repressed memories. Sadly, the story unravels under poor acting, chaotic editing, and a narrative that fails to deliver coherent thrills or chills. The use of a red balloon as a recurring image feels like an attempt to borrow from IT, but any association with Stephen King's masterpiece ends there. Where IT was haunting and atmospheric, this flounders in mediocrity. The acting lacks conviction, making it difficult to connect with the characters or care about their fate. The editing is especially jarring, with scenes feeling disjointed, sometimes as if they were shuffled out of order and I cannot let the makers of this film blame the budget for such laziness. This not only disrupts the flow of the story but also adds to the confusion about who—or what—the antagonist is supposed to be. By the end, the movie will leave you scratching your head (assuming you bother with this one). Are we meant to fear the balloon, or the evil characters sporadically introduced? The lack of clarity and tension makes for a frustrating watch. It’s clear that humor wasn’t intended, but the lack of serious scares and dramatic weight makes it unintentionally laughable at times. It could have been a compelling psychological horror if its elements were handled with more skill. Unfortunately, it feels like a scattered collection of ideas that never quite come together. Unless you’re in the mood for a lesson in how not to structure a horror film, this one is better left floating away.
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