Imaginary (2024) Review

Imaginary (2024) is a formulaic and lackluster addition to the Blumhouse and Lionsgate catalogs, but that may make it the perfect introduction piece for younger or new-to-horror audiences.
Following their recent childhood nightmare flicks, M3gan and Five Nights at Freddy’s, Imaginary provides a more traditional horror sequence that makes for a decent causal or first-time horror watch.

Jessica (DeWanda Wise) is returning to her childhood home with her new family when she finds that revisiting childlike curiosity and creativity is not as beautiful as it seems. When her step-daughter, Alice (Pyper Braun), bonds with a new imaginary friend, innocent games turn terrifying.

This premise isn’t necessarily unique, but writer/director Jeff Wadlow worked in a few twists and creepy visuals to keep the narrative from dragging. In fact, he may have over-compensated with rapid-fire exhibition and dizzying shifts in tone leading up to the third act. He also used practically every “creepy kid movie” tool out there. Dark basements, disembodied whispers, foreboding lullabies, a kid in a corner, an evil toy, and a child therapy session are all present though, they do not work as intended. These, along with many other overused horror tropes, make the movie feel recycled and tired. Which is highly unexpected after the studio’s fresh takes on the evil kid/toy subgenre. Now, classic scares can work, but when they are paired with inconsistent delivery, weird shifts in tone, and generic writing they become less unsettling and more cliché.

A highlight of the film is the creature design, something that both Blumhouse and Lionsgate have come to master. Audiences have come to expect, and welcome, a new figure to haunt them when they turn the lights out. For Imaginary, that is Chauncey and his various forms. The show-stoppers were undoubtedly the bear and the poorly lit, out-of-focus, shadow that stalks behind Jessica. The latter is a Blumhouse quintessential that is hair-raising and fun to look out for. The former’s design is a mangled, sharp-angled, viscous take on a common childhood fear. The placement and movement of the bear have an uncanny nature that just puts it over the top. It could have been utilized more than its counterparts to reinforce the “innocent turned evil” theme.

Another thing to keep in mind about this film is that a viewer just getting into the genre may not feel its formulaic approach or roll their eyes at the clichés. Imaginary is something to put on during elementary school sleepover because it isn’t too hard to follow, delivers a few scares, and is an approachable primer to the wide world of horror.

This type of film is a strategic addition to both the Blumhouse and Lionsgate lineups because of its simplicity and execution of horror’s favorite tropes. Unlike the in-depth lore and high stakes of FNAF or the complicated relationships between company, consumer, and family in M3gan, Imaginary is straightforward and easy to watch with equally terrifying visuals as it’s predecessors. This has the potential to be a gateway watch to the studio’s more intense productions, something desperately needed from these genre powerhouses.

Movie Rating:

Imaginary trailer