It Lives Inside Review: Forgettable!

Legends and mythological stories often find their way into horror movie premises because they are able to open up the genre to various evils outside of ghosts, goblins, vampires, etc. Bishal Dutta’s film It Lives Inside follows Sam (Megan Suri), one of the only Indian girls in her primarily white school, who is approached by her former best friend Tamira (Mohana Krishnan) who claims a demonic spirit won’t leave her alone.

Having explained that the demon lives inside a mason jar she must carry around, Sam is quick to shut out her friend until Tamira goes missing and Sam believes the demon may have chosen her as its next victim. What could have been a brand new take on a demonic subject, It Lives Inside unfortunately struggles to differentiate itself from typical conventions in the genre.

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Dutta tries to incorporate elements mirroring Hindi culture to add a new horror flair. However, the elements appear surface level when the movie would have benefitted from a deeper analysis of the legend and culture of its subjects. The plot in association with the legend of the Pishacha had various holes. The Pishacha is said to feed on negative human feeling and hatred, however Tamira finding the jar from its last victim rather than it finding her seemed to differentiate from the legend at hand. As a result, the script struggled to cohesively follow the story of the demon it is based on.

It Lives Inside is a slow burn, which at first heightens the tension. However, the reveals after such tension fall flat and enter into conventional territory when the film could have built suspense to reveal a story new to its audience, given its diverse subjects and story. What could have possibly provided a fresh take on demonic entities in Indian culture felt too universal in the genre.

It Lives Inside autumn atmosphere is a great setting for a horror film, especially when the characters are starting school. The incorporation of a legend to guide the story of the demon was intriguing. However, it seemed all of the elements that could have made the film stand out were under utilized. The basis of the Pishacha legend was dependent on Sam’s feelings of ostracization in her school when the audience was barely given any details or insight that she was in fact not fitting in.

As a result, the rest of the story feels like it builds on a fact that is not even substantiated in the script. It Lives Inside isn’t poor by any means but seeing its potential versus the execution made it a more forgettable horror entry this year.

‘It Lives Inside’ Rating – 2.5/5

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