Anomaly Film Festival Coverage
Sleep review
Come for the unique possession lore…stay for the utter loss of sanity. Sleep asks the question…when is a sleep disorder not a sleep disorder?
Festival movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
Sleep
Directed by Jason Yu
Written by Jason Yu
Starring Lee Sun-kyun and Jung Yu-mi
Sleep Review
There is a moment in Sleep where the tension of its character’s situation reaches a boiling point. It then sustains that pitch for an impressive length of time. Writer/director Jason Yu expertly builds to that moment. While Sleep doesn’t quite stick the landing as beautifully as what it creates beforehand…it does leave us with an interesting question to consider as we look back.
Hyun-su (Lee Sun-kyun) is an actor with a growing sleep disorder. What begins with self-harm quickly grows into something far more dangerous. His pregnant wife Su-jin (Jung Yu-mi) is desperate to help him through this difficulty…even as it put her own safety at risk. Su-jin’s mother believes that a ghost has attached itself to her husband. Their doctor believes that medication and repetition will solve the problem. But which problem is real?
You’ve probably guessed what the moment we opened this review with is. At some point in the story…the baby arrives. The danger is now much more frightening. Especially after what happens to the family dog. That’s more of a warning to people who can’t handle adorable little puppies who don’t make it through a movie than a spoiler. It happens early in the story and is an important thing to know. The lengths of danger attached to Hyun-su’s situation is what makes Sleep work so well. His wife chooses the risk because she believes that couples should work through any problem. Adding a baby to the mix ups the stakes to an almost unbearable level.
That isn’t to say that Sleep isn’t an occasionally funny movie. It doesn’t waste an opportunity to provide a laugh when one is available. Darkly funny, for sure…but funny, nonetheless. Strong performances from the two leads make every path that Sleep takes work. Whether that be comedically retraining your husband for the night…or a terrifying search for a child.
The question may be centered on why this is happening…but you won’t be thinking about that during the breathless second act. The truth is…it doesn’t matter why it’s happening. What matters is that it is. That’s what makes the first two acts of Sleep so dynamic. You never know what’s going to happen next. The third act allows for that central question to come back into focus. Is Hyun-su possessed by a malevolent spirit that can control him as he sleeps? Is it simply a medical condition?
While the final act of Sleep wrestles with those questions…it also has some more traditional horror movie fun. It makes for a fun watch but not a fully satisfying conclusion. What comes beforehand is so fresh and interesting that the climax simply can’t match it…as fun as it is. Perhaps it’s best to look at Sleep as a two act play with a fun coda. Enjoyment can be had for each…but they don’t quite fit together.
It does leave the movie off in an intriguing place, however. One that does make you consider everything that you’ve seen. One that makes you think of how far you would go to help the person you love. The addition of unique and interesting ghost lore is another pleasant part of Sleep. The idea that a ghost can attach itself to you…and speak through you when you are asleep is a decidedly creepy one. Watching Hyun-su navigate the world as an evil force when night falls certainly points the story in that direction. The movie wisely provides the highest of stakes to Su-jin’s choices where her husband’s condition is concerned. There are some white-knuckle moments here…with some surprising payoffs.
South Korea is renowned for the high quality of their horror movies. Sleep is no different. Jason Yu’s confident first feature makes him a name to watch in the future. The Anomaly Film Festival continued to hit homeruns as the week drew to a close.
Scare Value
Sleep does a great job sustaining its foreboding atmosphere. It genuinely feels like nothing is off limits once night falls. But this is a deeper story than a simple tale of possession or sleep disorders. It will keep you guessing as to what will happen next…and at what’s actually going on. One thing is for sure…the only way through is together.
