
IT LIVES INSIDE
Starring: Megan Suri, Neeru Bajwa, Mohana Krishnan, Vik Sahay, Gage Marsh, Beatrice Kitsos, and Betty Gabriel
Director: Bishal Dutta

This film has been reviewed by Quentin and Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival.

QUENTIN

While the story of It Lives Inside is a fairly typical possession tale, using the demon to touch on ideas of teen depression and divided cultural identity, it remains a solid addition to the subgenre. The way director Bishal Dutta uses minimalist techniques, toying with light and shadows to create tension, not to mention the Indian folklore aspect, is very reminiscent of The Vigil (a terrific horror movie based on Jewish demonology), and the final creature design is impressive, especially considering the film couldn’t have had a sizeable budget. It’s not groundbreaking, but it succeeds, nonetheless (particularly if you watch in the darkest room possible).

NICK

It Lives Inside is a tale of two plotlines: First, there's a coming-of-age story about individuality and maintaining your cultural connection throughout your formative years; second, there's a demonic tale based in Hindu folklore. Both feature aspects that work, and both are bogged down by tropes from their respective genres. It’s their intersection, however, that is unable to elevate things. This leaves a relatively new story devolving into something that feels familiar. Having said that, it’s not a lost cause. There are some genuine scares and the creature design is certainly unsettling. It Lives Inside isn’t revolutionary, but it’s still serviceable mid-tier horror.