She Watches Blindly, Horror Move Review

She Watches Blindly

She Watches Blindly

Beth Abrams believes she possesses a unique ability. She can perceive the thoughts of others. However, she does not consider it a gift. Instead, she views it as an illness that is destroying her life and relationships. Every hour, she is tormented by the secret thoughts of friends, family, and the cries of her new infant. Following a night of nightmares, a mysterious doctor arrives to investigate the circumstances and help Beth piece together what remains of her life. Accomplishing this will require her to face the most uncomfortable truths, a journey that may cost her everything.

Director: Bryan Tan

She Watches Blindly, a Horror Movie Review by Eva Fraser

She Watches Blindly, written and directed by Bryan Tan, invites us into a paranoia-tinged world of magical realism. Trapped by her ability to sense people’s thoughts, Beth Abrams (Emily Dunlop) lives surrounded by the lies of others, encased in a floral patterned tomb reminiscent of the Charlotte Perkins Gilman novella, The Yellow Wallpaper. This unsubtle concept of female hysteria medicated by isolation anchors many narratives, fueled by the frequent misunderstanding of women’s issues.

But, in this film, misunderstanding progresses into acceptance through one character: Dr. Abbott (Rick Andosca). Andosca’s conveyance of complex emotion through a grounded and thoughtful performance makes you believe in Beth even when she’s at her worst. She Watches Blindly complicates the narrative around mental illness, stepping outside its “thriller” label to introduce empathy.

The film’s mise-en-scène is meticulously crafted, from the intentional use of lighting and the color green to the prevalent heart imagery and eerie floral patterns. The scattered toys and lived-in clutter add to the unsettling atmosphere, making the film feel genuinely real and ultimately paying off.

Visuals and sound collaborate to create an environment of reflection.

She Watches Blindly,
Move Review
She Watches Blindly

In a film about mirroring observed behaviors, this seems pretty appropriate. When Beth is in her head or listening to others, the audience can always tell. A vignette repeatedly introduces itself, narrowing the scene with black fuzzy edges; the audio also muffles, echoing the undertones of dialogue. She Watches Blindly allows us to feel what it might be like to be Beth.

Surveillance becomes a cinematic theme, initiated by Beth’s husband Earl (Justin Torrence) and Dr. Abbott, but Beth handles it most masterfully. The film contains many empty shots. The vacant hallway outside the nursery, the curtain to Beth’s room, and the stairway in between. These spaces appear frequently, but with slightly different lighting each time. Tan creates suspense through this emptiness and lulling background noise. These little moments of emptiness reveal a more sinister undertone—we are being watched, too.

Masterful in its presentation and storytelling, She Watches Blindly is a thriller with heart, fostering community out of tragedy.

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Author

  • Eva Fraser Horror Movie Reviewer

    Eva Fraser is a current English and Cinema Studies double major at Oberlin College and a summer intern for MaddWolf! She enjoys singing with her family band, The Ladies of Longford, acting, writing, and watching movies. In her spare time, you can find her watching the Lord of the Rings Extended Editions on repeat.

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