Stopmotion – A Uniquely Demeneted Horror Film

Stopmotion is a British live action/animated horror film directed by Robert Morgan in his feature-length debut. The story follows Ella Blake (Franciosi), a stop-motion animator who is struggling to control her demons after the hospitalization of her overbearing mother Suzanne (Gonet). Suddenly alone in the world for the first time, Ella embarks upon the creation of a macabre new puppet film, which soon becomes the battleground for her sanity. As her mind started to fracture, the characters in her animated film took on a terrifying life of their own, and the unleashed power of her imagination threatened to destroy she and everyone else around her. At the end of the day, the film delivers highly unique, well made, and extremely demented horror featuring some impressive stop-motion animation and nasty gore effects that will make even the biggest gorehounds squirm in their seats.

Stopmotion is much more of a slow burn and a thought provoking psychological thriller/character study than a straight up horror film at first but once the horror elements come into play, they don’t hold back as it goes in some truly shocking and gross directions that push the envelope. Meanwhile, its practical effects are suitably nasty and the imagery on display especially with its stop-motion characters is both creepy and unsettling to look at. Robert Morgan creates a chilling atmosphere where not a single moment feels secure or at ease due to looming sense of dread and terror that can be felt throughout along with its dark and uninviting cinematography.

Now it should go without mentioning but the stop-motion work is absolutely incredible and how it is utilized and displayed is very creative and disturbing. Since many audiences are so used to seeing stop motion animation in family films, it is a breath of fresh air to see it in a genre commonly reserved for live action. Franciosi delivers a brilliant lead performance as Ella, fully committing herself to her madness and intensity. While initially quiet and understated, that quickly begins to fade as she dives deeper and deeper into her obsession. By the end she’s completely committed to all the chaos happening onscreen and what makes it as effective as it was is Franciosi’s strong turn.

Where this falls a bit short, however, is its pacing and third act. Though very much a slow burn and a noble approach for a story like this, it ultimately causes the film to drag at points and it is also plagued by a series of first half scenes that are too slow and uneventful for their own good. It takes a while until the horror side of things gets going therefore it could become a test for impatient audiences looking for more. The third act makes up for the film’s slow start but only to a certain extent. An act that definitely pays off in terms of all of the crazy gore effects, WTF moments, and shocking imagery, the direction it takes doesn’t entirely work but either way, the ending will leave audiences cold.

For the most part, Stopmotion definitely could have stuck the landing a bit better and might have been more rewatchable had it not moved at such a slow pace. That being said, it is still a solid horror film that makes up for an otherwise slow start to the year for the genre. The stop-motion animation work here is enough to warrant a mild recommendation on its own but for those who are diehard horror fans, it is something that is definitely worth seeking out.

still courtesy of IFC Films and Shudder

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/