HiMovies

Films in which a woman faces a conflict regarding abuse and its psychological effects are quite common. It’s actually a theme that’s been developed in the form of several consequences that can all be interpreted as a personal version of hell and its variations. It’s a subject as important as it is controversial because something so personal can’t be interpreted and twisted for the sake of a good story.

Resurrection subtly inserts the subject into its story and departs from something very universal.  But then it progresses into something else entirely, a story direction that takes trauma to another level and gives shape to a character resolution that will blow your mind. Trust me, you haven’t seen anything like it.

In Resurrection, Margaret is a business woman with a shady lifestyle. She’s involved in an affair in a cold manner that’s almost mindless. Her relationship with her daughter is distant. 

One day Margaret sees someone. Someone from her past, or at least someone that reminds her of it. She threatens him. She orders him to stay away from them. He simply replies that “Ben is with him”.  This connection to the past is the beginning of Margaret’s descent towards the figure of her past. One that involves this “Ben” and also this mysterious man that’s come back for her.

Andrew Semans’ Resurrection is a very interesting collection of ideas gathered from decades of stories. Films, books, testimonies from real people. He has taken a piece of everything and has composed a strong symphony about paranoia, its causes and its effects. 

Whether you believe in Margaret’s story or not, you will doubt your eyes, and that’s exactly what Semans is looking for. Of course he pushes viewers into the hole, and arouses them into taking a dive with imagery and twists. If you fall, know that you won’t be alone. The first half of Resurrection allows for interpretation. Surely, this can’t be real. It all has to be living inside Margaret’s head. As you step forward, you will find yourself in a unique universe of body horror that’s reminiscent of films whose directors dared to take the next step.

I’d rather stay cryptic because it’s how Resurrection works best. Please go blind into the film. 

And right after you watch it, I’m sure you will ask questions. It’s exactly what the mind behind the movie wants. Not questions about the how. They’re more about what and why. If you find yourself convinced it all makes sense, then you’re in the same spot as Margaret. Completely safe or completely insane. They’re both possible.

 

Hits

• It’s Rebecca Hall’s best performance to date. What a freaking scream queen.
• The film doesn’t even attempt to confirm anything about what you saw and it’s OK.

 

Misses

• Some viewers won’t exactly love where the film goes.