Streaming: Hulu
Warnings:
Violence
Child Abuse
Graphic Imagery
Rating: PG-13
Run is a thriller horror film about a homeschooled teenager who begins to suspect a dark secret that her mother has been keeping from her. Written by Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian and directed by Aneesh Chaganty, Run is a shocking film that follows a tragic discovery and leaves the audience questioning the entire film. The unique storyline explores a different world of mental health, parenting and broken families. Staring Sarah Paulson and Kiera Allen, the mother/daughter duo excel in their roles and bring the audience on an unexpected journey. Following the debut weekend, Hulu reported that Run was the most-watched original film in the platform’s history. Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus reads, “Solid acting and expertly ratcheted tension help Run transcend its familiar trappings to deliver a delightfully suspenseful thriller.” Through the unique storyline, the genuine acting, and the horror-like cinematography, Run certainly brings the audience on a thrilling adventure.
The first element of this film that makes it great is the fact that the concept is so unique. The tension in the storyline carries the audience on a journey that is unpredictable and also terrifying. This same tension adds to the wonderful acting and the isolating approach to the cinematography. The story approaches the dynamic in this small family in a way that hasn’t often been seen before in cinema which is a refreshing take on mother/daughter relationships. The story creates a new genre of horror-thriller films that one hopes to see more of in the future.
The second element is the acting, of course Sarah Paulson will always be amazing and bring shock and awe to her characters. Since Sarah has worked in horror for a long time, specifically in American Horror Story, she has a comfort with horror films by now. However, Kiera Allen is a new face who has now made history for differently abled representation in horror. Allen is a wheelchair user herself in real life, which makes this the first major thriller to star a wheelchair user since The Sign of the Ram (1948). It is certain that Sarah Paulson will be seen again soon in similar horror thrillers, but hopefully Kiera Allen is seen more often in future cinema as well.
The cinematography (which is executed by Hillary Fyffe Spera) follows the typical horror/thriller guidelines however, there are innovative shots included to make the audience feel uneasy as well. There are at least three times in the film where the daughter is learning something new, so the next shot is an extreme close up of her eyes. This is an interesting way to guide the audience on the character’s journey of discovery as well. There is another camera shot in particular where Kiera Allen’s character makes a discovery, and the camera does a “dolly zoom” or what is also known as the “vertigo effect.” This is in reference the Hitchcock’s film Vertigo from 1958 where the dolly zoom effect was used to emphasize the feeling of vertigo. In Run this effect is used to make the audience feel as uncomfortable as the character is feeling during that scene. Choices like this makes the film more dynamic as well as more visually interesting for the audience.
Run is a unique and attention-grabbing film that uses strong elements of cinema to make a great story. Sarah Paulson and Kiera Allen do a wonderful job convincing the audience they are truly a dysfunctional family. The solid acting adds to the thrilling storyline that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. Lastly, the cinematography is methodical and well thought out to add to the thriller/horror elements that makes the film shocking. If you wish to see a film that will surprise you and take you on an unpredictable journey, I highly recommend Run.