Acclaimed horror maestro Alexandre Aja returns to his roots with a vengeance in Daruma, a profoundly unsettling supernatural thriller that proves less is infinitely more. Premiering to a captivated audience at London's FrightFest, this film is a masterclass in atmospheric dread, weaving a tale of grief, guilt, and otherworldly consequences that will linger long after the credits roll.
The narrative centres on a fractured American family, still reeling from an unimaginable tragedy. Tony Amendola delivers a powerhouse performance as the grieving grandfather, a man whose desperate attempt to reconnect with his lost grandson veers into dangerously occult territory. His purchase of a mysterious Daruma doll—a traditional Japanese wishing totem—unleashes a chain of events that are as psychologically complex as they are terrifying.
A Master of Suspense Returns to Form
Aja, the visionary behind modern classics like High Tension and the 2006 The Hills Have Eyes remake, expertly sheds the bombast of his bigger-budget outings. Here, he crafts terror through silence and implication, building a suffocating sense of unease within the confines of the family's home. The camera lingers in shadowy corners, making the audience complicit in searching for the thing that goes bump in the night.
Emily Marie Palmer is a revelation as the mother, Sophie, portraying a raw and visceral grief that grounds the film's supernatural elements in heartbreaking reality. Her performance ensures the horror is never just about the jump scares; it's about the terrifying void left by loss.
More Than Just a Monster Movie
To dismiss Daruma as a simple creature feature would be a grave mistake. The film is a sophisticated exploration of the lengths to which love and sorrow can drive a person. The doll itself is a brilliantly simple antagonist, its blank, staring eye and unsettling stillness proving that the most effective horrors are those born from our own desperate wishes.
The final act delivers a devastating emotional punch, tying together its themes of closure and acceptance in a way that is both shocking and deeply moving. This is intelligent horror filmmaking at its finest—a movie that challenges its audience to feel as much as it dares them to be afraid.
Verdict: Alexandre Aja's Daruma is a triumph. A beautifully acted, meticulously crafted, and genuinely chilling ghost story that secures its place as one of the most compelling and thought-provoking horror films of the year. Not to be missed.
