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Filmmaker Natalie Erika James has by no means shied away from a haunting: From her breakout hit “Relic” to her “Rosemary’s Child” prequel “Residence 7A,” the horror star is steadily carving out an actual area of interest in “the decision is coming from inside the home” chillers of every kind. Her newest, “Saccharine,” feels simply as private as “Relic,” a generational trauma story for the ages, although the maximalist nature of the movie gives a brand new twist on her filmography. However in her obvious eagerness to stuff all method of concepts, themes, and gross-out scenes into the body-horror joint, James can lose sight of the true meat of her story.
No, concepts should not in brief provide right here, as a result of whereas “Saccharine” might be rightly termed a horror movie about physique picture and consuming problems (shades of “Uncooked,” “The Substance,” and “The Neon Demon” proliferate), it is usually about generational trauma, sexual id, the scourge of “wellness” social media posts, and even self-help journaling. Execution is extra of the problem, because the movie’s 112-minute working time feels each packed to the gills and unable to completely sort out all the pieces James’ script throws on the wall. But a robust visible sense and wonderful performances, particularly from Midori Francis, are robust to beat.
It’s also, and this can’t be overstated, actually, actually gross. Let that be a advice for many who aren’t shy about these items, which run the gamut from eye-poppingly (or, as audiences will quickly be taught, eye-twistingly) icky, very spectacular, and even sometimes playful.
Hana’s (Francis) obsession with our bodies could really feel primarily targeted on her personal (binge-eating, rendered right here as a collection of close-up mukbang-style sequences), however her total world is formed by our bodies of every kind. There’s her skinny mom and her overweight father. Her comfortable-in-her-own-skin greatest pal Josie (Danielle Macdonald, doing stable work as a really crucial voice of cause). Alanya, the attractive and candy coach at her gymnasium (Madeleine Madden). And the overweight cadaver she and Josie are learning in medical faculty, who quickly turns into a personality in her personal proper, horrifyingly nicknamed “Large Bertha.”
However Hana’s obsession together with her physique is standing in the best way of extra than simply feeling good on the gymnasium. Her constant binge classes are ravaging her spirit. She’s into women however afraid to method them. Her physique is the enemy and the one factor which may free her. Alanya has a 12-week course she’d like Hana to strive, however when she runs into an outdated good friend (as soon as fats! now skinny!) at a bar, Hana is extra intrigued by the little grey capsules her pal says have made her right into a “fully new individual.” Received’t Hana strive one or two? Simply to see?
The impact is fast, only one capsule helps Hana shed some kilos (higher than any of her dangerous consuming habits or off-and-on gymnasium classes have ever achieved), and it’s simply too rattling dangerous they value a lot. However Hana is — keep in mind this! — in medical faculty, and he or she’s acquired entry to all types of kit, which she makes use of to reverse engineer what’s within the capsules. How very handy that she additionally has entry to the very factor in these capsules: human ashes.
That James will get to the reality of the capsules so early on is an actual plus. We’re not left hanging as Hana makes an attempt to seek out out what she’s consuming that makes her really feel so good. It’s plain-faced: Woman, it’s useless individuals. That Hana doesn’t flinch at making her personal capsules (sorry, Large Bertha) handily reveals how far she’s keen to go to shed the kilos, and he or she does simply that, and quick. By a collection of intelligent prosthetics, sensible costuming and make-up, and even how Francis carries herself onscreen, Hana begins shedding all the pieces she’s lengthy thought has been holding her again.
Not so quick. Hana can’t shake the sensation that somebody is watching her, even teasing her. James steadily ratchets up the dimensions and power of those hauntings, with little moved objects ultimately morphing into full-scale possession territory. Quickly sufficient, Hana begins to see the power of all that malevolence: Large Bertha, in every single place, but solely seen to Hana when she gazes right into a convex object (a kind of issues that sounds cool, however has no final which means). What does Bertha need? Principally, it appears, she desires Hana to maintain consuming.
As she dips again into dangerous cycles, montage after montage reveals Hana binging, coaching, making her personal capsules (you may guess what which may require), lusting after Alanya, avoiding the plain ache of her childhood dwelling, and the impact is purposely repetitive. Hana shouldn’t be in command of her physique, maybe she by no means has been, and all of that is made literal in more and more dehumanizing methods. These concepts are massive and ripe for the choosing, however James’ curiosity in delivering a full meal verges on overstuffed. It’s haunting stuff, however maybe not all the time within the meant methods.
Grade: B-
“Saccharine” premiered on the 2026 Sundance Movie Competition. Shudder will launch it later this yr.
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