I have to say that Hulu has absolutely been killing it in the horror genre. They came out with so many great hits last year and this year seems like its about to do the same. Appendage, directed by Anna Ziokovic, brings a new twist on horror flicks that deal with characters with anxiety. In this movie they literally make the main character's inner thoughts, take form into a creature. A brilliant way to represent mental health and what a lot of people with anxiety deals with. It really allows the viewer to really understand what it feels like to have crippling anxiety, that can really take over your life. The movie perfectly shows the effects such a creature can create. You can lose relationships, friendships, job opportunities and so much more. The creature can grow the more you let the inner thoughts control your life. A great tale with some incredible work on the story they were trying to present. The message is clear and straightforward, which worked very well for the film. Some performances were a little lackluster, but overall everyone did a great job progressing the plot. There is a great support system the main character has and it was cool to see that side of the story too.
There is a lot that I took out of this movie. I'm one who suffers from anxiety and was really able to connect with the themes of this movie. For those who can't relate, the little voice in your head can be very intrusive and this movie really represents that.The way they did this was to make anxiety become a monster, in physical form. I hate how disgusting this creature looks, but that's the whole point. Anxiety is ugly, annoying, violating and so much more. The movie doesn't really shy away from any of this, which I think is great. Like I stated earlier, the movie is pretty straightforward with its messaging. I do think it becomes limited to a certain audience because of it, but most people will be able to relate to it. We all overthink all the time as humans and its normal and common. Appendage is able to show that it is something that can be overcome. This is why I love horror films. They often correlate to mental health or life in some aspect and gives people hope. Hadley Robinson, who plays Hannah, did a great job. You can really tell what emotional weight is on her life and you empathize with her from the start. You want her to succeed at her job and the relationships she has. The whole cast for the most part, really bounced each other fairly well, which is important to keep the movie grounded. The scenes with the creature was a bit over the top for my taste, but it makes sense why they did it that way. As someone in the design industry, the movie shows all her stresses and how it plays out in her head. There are some great shifts in the movie when they introduce a certain group and the movie does take a different direction. This is when the movie really started to get interesting and I became more invested.
Overall Appendage is a fun flick that deals with mental health in very respectful and meaningful way. A movie that a lot of horror fans will have a lot of fun with for many reasons. This movie has some great practical effects that bring anxiety to life. The performances were just ok, but the message the movie is trying to portray, still gets delivered. Hulu has been doing such a great job with the horror genre and this one shows that it is continuing to do well. These originals leave important impacts on the viewers and continue to surprise me. I went in completely blind for this movie and I think that is the best way to do it. There are some nice twists that take the movie to a higher level and it works. Nothing groundbreaking, but a fun ride with a short run time. I would recommend this film to a lot of you, who really deals with anxiety and overthinking. You will gain a lot of value from the movie and be able to see that anxiety can be a part of your life, but you don't have to let it control your life. Although it may never go away, it doesn't mean you cannot continue your life as normal. This is the thing that I love the most from Appendage. Definitely worth a watch when it gets released on Hulu.
Review By: Frederick Nuti
Score: 77/100
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