Film Review: SKINAMARINK (2022): An Imaginative Exercise in Terror That Will Keep Audiences Watching

Skinamarink Review

Skinamarink (2022) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Kyle Edward Ball and starring Jaime Hill, Lucas Paul, Ross Paul and Dali Rose Tetreault.

Canadian filmmaker Kyle Edward Ball does something that’s never been done before with his terrifying film, Skinamarink. Ball manages to captivate viewers with almost no character development whatsoever which is all the more impressive when you consider the style of the movie which is certainly in the vein of The Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity. Those two “found footage” horror movies relied on likable, fleshed out lead characters but the kids in Skinamarink are mostly heard, not seen. It’s hard to care much about them at first but because they’re children, we ultimately sympathize with their realization that things in their house are not what they seem. Not at all.

Windows and doors have disappeared and the house the movie is set in is lit in such a way that one could have nightmares afterwards without even considering the story’s horrific developments. This film is special because the audience will end up feeling sympathy for the child characters who are only very briefly seen and only occasionally heard. It’s not a great film by any stretch but as an experiment in terror, it succeeds.

There are a number of scenes which will end up intriguing audiences as the plot (or what there is of one) moves forward. Something definitely appears out of the ordinary when the kids’ dad (Ross Paul) vanishes. A toilet bowl disappears at one point, and the most disturbing scene feels like it’s right out of Paranormal Activity with the mom of the kids (played by Jaime Hill) sitting on the edge of her bed in one of many creepy sequences that occur in the picture. The presence of broken apart Lego toys and scattered crayons as well as cartoons on the television all help set the eerie tone for the movie. On the TV comes an animated dog and a bunny who would seem much cuter if the television they were playing on didn’t seem so downright freaky. Imagine the television from Poltergeist and you get an idea of what this film is trying to do.

During the opening credits of Skinamarink, it is made known the cartoons used in the film are public domain works. The cartoon characters may as well be original characters as they are definitely not famous ones like Bugs Bunny or Underdog. These animated scenes occurring on the television are sometimes the most soothing moments in a movie filled with unnerving tension. There is a lot of static in the background as well which enhances the atmosphere the movie creates.

A call to the cops is eventually made and the little girl in the movie, Kaylee (Dali Rose Tetreault), seems to disappear from the action after a key plot development. This is the type of movie where it is not necessarily fair to reveal plot details as each particular scare comes from a revelation that is ambiguous but nevertheless frightening because of the uncertain, dire nature of the particular scenarios at hand.

A shot of a toy phone with a smiley face that looks like something Fisher Price may have put out creates one of the most terrifying moments in Skinamarink. Just the sight of this phone can cause someone to jump from their seat as it is presented in this film. As the boy Kevin, Lucas Paul is barely seen but has a distinct presence in the action which enhances the horror. There are a lot of moments in the movie that feel like they’re leading somewhere but whether they are heading towards some bigger picture or not, these moments create the atmosphere for one of the most unsettling horror movies ever made.

There are flaws with Skinamarink that aren’t necessarily from the film’s budgetary restraints. 1999’s The Blair Witch Project created a truly frightening scenario thanks to the fact the audience got to know its characters well. We know the kids in Skinamarink are very young but they should have more characteristics that make them stand out. It’s a testament to the overall quality of the new movie that we manage to sympathize with the kids. However, if they had more development, it would have certainly made the movie better.

In the end, Skinamarink will appeal more to audiences who see it with others rather than those who see it alone. It’s the type of movie where you talk to the screen because of the confusing images that appear and the viewer slowly tries to piece all these scenes together to form a coherent idea of what it’s all about. While the ending of Ball’s movie leaves more than a few questions for the viewer, that’s the point. What happens at the end of Skinamarink may be interpreted differently by certain viewers which makes it the Aftersun of horror movies. Skinamarink is certainly not at the level of The Blair Witch Project (or, of course, Aftersun) but it’s the beginning of a potentially bright future for a talented filmmaker.

Rating: 7/10

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