Summary
Skinamarink presents a disturbing replay of childhood nightmares. A slow-burn masterpiece, it will leave you equally puzzled and unsettled.
Skinamarink is a horror film that is now streaming on Shudder, Roku, and Sling. Directed by Kyle Edward Ball, the film became a huge success that is widely discussed by horror fans. With a budget of just $15,000, Skinamarink managed to scare viewers and remind them of their worst fears as children.
Skinamarink Review and Plot Summary
Skinamarink follows two young siblings, Kevin and Kaylee, who wake up alone in the middle of the night and discover that their parents are gone. Further, all of the windows and doors in the house have disappeared. Kevin had previously fallen down the stairs and ended up in the hospital.
After making these discoveries, the kids hear a strange voice that begins pursuing them more intensely throughout the film. It starts by beckoning them from distant areas of the house. Kevin and Kaylee put pillows and blankets in the living room and decide to sleep there for safety. As they put on old cartoons for comfort, the voice’s commands take them away from their normal lives and into a nightmare.
Skinamarink intrigues viewers with its dark, grainy effects and indistinct objects you can’t really make out. It gives viewers flashbacks to their childhood, where they experienced strange events in their nightmares. In doing so, it takes them into the nightmare with the kids by presenting them with the same odd, otherworldly journeys they used to go on in their dreams. The difference is that in Skinamarink, the nightmare never ends.
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The film becomes relatable to people in this way and dares them to attempt watching their scariest memories play out. While it’s not as violent and fast-moving as some of the other horror films that have already come out this year, it still has the potential to shake you to your core.
Is Skinamarink good?
Skinamarink is uniquely terrifying. It’s more of a slow-burn film, where the scary moments and intense action don’t happen right away. However, that works perfectly for this film because it fills viewers with a sense of dread the whole time. With a few jump scares trickled throughout, it keeps viewers on their feet. The confusing end and unexplainable events leave viewers anxious about what really happened. The whole film, which can be entirely left up to one’s interpretation, promotes speculations and discussions of its meaning for a long time to come.
Skinamarink is worth watching for horror fans who love psychological thrillers and films that leave them with unanswered questions that they must figure out on their own. However, it might not be the movie for you if you rely on gore and immediate action to accelerate your heart rate. But it is still a unique film with themes that most horror movies haven’t touched upon, so it should be a fun ride for any horror fan.
What did you think of the 2023 Shudder horror film Skinamarink? Comment below.
