‘Baghead’ Review – Historical Horror Effort Is Horrifyingly Fine

Baghead has seen constant comparisons to A24’s Talk to Me in the media ever since its international release, being minced in the shadow of what was one of last year’s biggest horror surprises. Now, there are a few strong similarities between the two, but really, Baghead does more than enough to separate itself from the former; pitting the two against one another has only stunted Baghead in a way that is wholly unfair. On its own merits, Baghead is a respectable horror romp that does more than you’d probably expect it to in the way of worldbuilding and layered storytelling, in the face of the usual Shudder restraints that batter a release like this one.

There is a legitimate attempt at lore made here that isn’t often found in 90-minute scare flicks, and though the sequence that describes it is hardly 90 seconds, it’s still likely the strongest point of the film. The plot’s apparent simplicity gives way to an artsy flashback of sorts, drawn together with flames as transitions and marking a moment in the film in which you may sit up in your seat a little.

Prior to that, the story appears to be as one-note as a girl inheriting an old pub from her father, which sits above a basement housing a demonic secret. When the old brick wall is broken through and the full secret is revealed, Baghead is able to snap comparisons and wear its pride on its chest. That switch-up, as well as the rest of the final act afterward, stands alone as an above-average achievement in genre filmmaking. What comes before is unfortunately far weaker.

Part of the reason that climactic development works so well is because it breathes life into a film that had been dead for the entire middle portion. After an opening act that did just enough to get the wheels rolling, the body of the film dwells on trying to spook you, only without so much as a semblance of compelling camera work or narrative intrigue to do so. Jumps are frequent, accompanied by loud noises and shaky frames, to no avail, unsurprisingly.

One scene involving flashing lights and clever cuts during this stretch stands alone, but it’s so out of place that it feels like it doesn’t belong here. Early on, Baghead settles into a consistent teal overlay, highlighted by old wooden finishes and gray cracks in the concrete flooring. Once this breaks, it’s almost like whiplash; the tone suffers as a result of this indecisive visual palette, and further, the film may very well lose you before you make it to that semi-redemptive third act.

If you do stick around, it’ll be due to Freya Allen’s leading performance. The final girl trope is tried and true in horror films like this one, and Allen’s ragged determination means she falls right into place as a solid protagonist that you can pull for, against all odds. A later notch in the narrative does underscore her a bit, but overall, she’s a major highlight that should help get you through when this thing is barely dragging along.

Baghead is a difficult recommendation to just anyone. It’s true that there are many efforts on the current market that’ll likely satisfy you more, especially if you don’t already have a desire to chase new horror as it comes. If you are that sort of person though, Baghead is a suitable way to spend an hour and a half if you’ve got nothing else to do. A strong performance at the head and an exciting finale mean this one crawls over the finish line, even if barely so.

Baghead will be available to stream on Shudder on April 5, 2024. 

[youtube https://youtu.be/XOsZq_5s-ak?si=94O834KpHo9nyrAz]