Review: Slumber

(imdb.com)

Sleep paralysis films seem to be all the rage in horror right now. From the fantastically creepy documentary, The Nightmare, to the mediocre-at-best Dead Awake, the uptick in these films has also inspired a lot more people to come forward with their nightmarish fears. But, where the documentary succeeded, no fictional account of the disorder has quite captured the uniquely horrifying experience. Looking to change that is Slumber.

Operating on a fresh perspective from a sleep doctor who encounters a sinister force behind a family's sleep paralysis experience, Slumber does little to hold interest. While its premise provides a new, more medical angle the movie's conventions are all too known and done superiorly better in other supernatural demon flicks. There's the typical empty dark space scares and some odd placement for scoring, this along with contrived creepy children and bland, one dimensional acting from supporting cast are all telling signs of an inexperienced filmmaker's blunders.


Slumber is directed by freshman Jonathan Hopkins and stars Maggie Q (Divergent) as sleep doctor, Alice Arnolds. It also features Will Kemp (Reign) as her husband, Kristen Bush (Liberal Arts) and Honor Kneafsley (Miss You Already) as the two most resonating Morgan family members, Sylvester McCoy (The Hobbit) as the token spiritualist, and William Hope (Aliens) as a fellow sleep doctor. As noted the majority of them are mediocrely elaborated on, brimming with flaky dialogue and uninteresting decisions. McCoy makes the greatest offences playing a really obnoxious former sleep paralysis victim and Hope is the only one who isn't a complete disaster in a supporting role, but he's a much smaller part of the film. For Maggie Q however, one of the only salvageable actors from the mess that was the Divergent franchise, Slumber once again finds her as a bright spot. She deserves better than this film as she did Divergent, and it'd be a welcome opportunity for her to continue down the horror path.


Outside of the dialogue and character issues, there is still one glaring missed opportunity and that's that Slumber itself just isn't entertaining. It drags on with far too many recycled techniques. It's as if the filmmakers sat down, watched a host of successful horror films and decided to adapt their scenes into a poor medical drama. The tension is nonexistent and the plot aimlessly stumbles along until it finally ends with little more than a fizzle.


Slumber is instantly forgettable. It’s not the type of movie worth watching and even if people did, they'd be hard pressed to find others who remember it enough to talk about it with. It’s got a lot of missed opportunities as it drags a great premise through too many conventions. Even with Maggie Q's bright light, this film feels dim. It’s a shame, too, because in a world where Dead Awake wasted  Jocelin Donohue's talents, it seems Slumber did once again with Maggie Q's. 3 out 10.