A husband returns after seven years, but he is not alone
In short: When Daniel reappeared in Glendale, California, he brought more than just a seven-year absence. Mike Flanagan’s directorial debut, Absentia, weaves a supernatural nightmare where a family's grief meets an ancient, insectoid hunger lurking beneath the local streets.
Released in 2011, Absentia serves as the feature film debut for director Mike Flanagan. The production was notably funded through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. The narrative follows Tricia, a pregnant woman in Glendale, who is preparing to legally declare her husband, Daniel, dead after his unexplained seven-seven-year disappearance. However, Daniel's sudden, physically battered return brings with it a series of inexplicable phenomena that defy psychiatric explanation.
The film utilizes the traditional fairy tale 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff' as a symbolic subtext, foreshadowing a bridge controlled by a malevolent entity. As Tricia and her sister, Callie, navigate the aftermath of Daniel's return, they encounter a series of disturbing events involving a tunnel near their home. This includes encounters with Jamie, the son of a man named Walter Lambert, and the discovery of a pattern of disappearances in the neighborhood spanning the last 100 years.
The horror centers on an insectoid creature that inhabits the walls of the tunnel and demands trades. While the film received critical acclaim—with an 87% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and praise from outlets like Starburst and Dread Central—it also faced scrutiny. Some critics, such as Dennis Harvey of Variety, noted a lack of a strong climax, while others, like David Harley of Bloody Disgusting, pointed to the limitations of its low budget. Ultimately, the film is regarded as a melancholy, non-formulaic piece of independent supernatural horror.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Absentia (film)
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