Umma Movie Review

Over the past decade we have seen some truly terrifying horror films. From mainstream sensations such as 'The Conjuring' to indie delights 'X' and 'The Witch'. Horror master, Sam Raimi (Drag Me To Hell, The Gift, Evil Dead trilogy) has remained one of the strongest voices in horror for over 4 decades. The man knows the genre inside and out, and when he isn't behind the camera calling the shots as a director, he is producing some of the best horror films out there. In 2022, Sam Raimi produced 'Umma', previously producing horror hits such as 'Evil Dead', 'The Grudge' and 'Crawl', a terrifying psychological horror film, starring Sandra Oh and directed by Iris K. Shim. As a horror, I was more than excited for this flick, keen to see what scares awaited me. Was 'Umma' worth the wait? 

I am pleased to say that 2022s 'Umma' was a masterfully crafted, suspenseful horror flick that honestly surprised me and has now put the name Iris K. Shim on the radar. Director Iris K. Shim knows what works in a horror film, using jump scares sparingly and rather focussing on the psychological torment, suspense and horror of the narrative, giving an emotional core to this story that has been done before, but not in this way. There is a lot of depth given to the characters, fleshing out the mother, daughter relationship in the film. You can really feel producer Sam Raimi's influence here, with the focus being put more on the story rather than the make-up of that story. 

The film is built around the psychological torment of Sandra Oh's Amanda, worrying that she is becoming her mother. The film has a lot more going on here, but on a surface level, this is what the film is about. Sandra Oh is wonderful here, once again showing she is one of the most versatile actresses currently working in the industry. She is truly amazing, selling the psychological torment she is feeling throughout the film. Very rarely does an actress of Sandra oh's calibre turn to the horror genre, but because of the wonderful things that the genre is currently doing some very talented actors and actresses such as Rebecca Hall (The Night House), Toni Collette (Hereditary), Kerri Russell (Antlers) and Willem Defoe and Robert Pattinson (The Lighthouse). The supporting cast is also strong here, selling the horror and the emotional core of the film as well. 

As mentioned, 'Umma' doesn't rely heavily on cheap jump scares. Yes there are plenty of those here, but they're all used effectively. The film's psychological elements as well, elevate this from just a run of the mill horror movie, making it stay with you long after the credits roll. The way the film concludes, will make you question your own relationships with your mother as well. 

'Umma' is one of 2022s best horror films. Sandra Oh delivers yet another strong performance as the film's lead and Iris K. Shim's directorial style has also put her name on the map. You can pick up your copy of Umma on DVD today from your local Sanity or online. 

Buy Umma on DVD here!

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here