Watch Horsehead

Horsehead is a French horror film directed by Romain Basset and released in 2014. The movie tells the story of Jessica, a young woman who possesses the ability to have lucid dreams. However, her dreams are plagued by recurring nightmares featuring a demonic horse-headed figure. The main character's obsession with her dreams drives her to visit her grandmother, who is both a psychoanalyst and a psychic. Upon viewing her grandmother's collection of African art, Jessica comes across a tribal mask that resembles the horse-headed figure from her dreams. After taking the mask back to her apartment, she falls asleep and enters into a strange, dreamlike state.

From here on out, Jessica's dream becomes her reality, and her reality becomes her dream. She is plagued by visions of a dark, foreboding castle, where she faces the horse-headed figure head-on. She also discovers secrets from her past that she had long since forgotten, including dark family secrets involving her mother.

The movie is an expertly crafted blend of horror and surrealism, with atmospheric visuals that create a genuinely unnerving experience. The use of slow-motion, jump cuts, and bold imagery allows Horsehead to transcend the traditional horror movie format and create something truly unique.

One of the most striking aspects of the movie is its sound design. The soundtrack, composed by Olivier Goulet, is haunting and beautiful. It features a mixture of classical pieces and intense, electronica-infused noise. The score is perfectly matched to the dreamlike visuals, creating an immersive and terrifying audio-visual experience.

Lilly-Fleur Pointeaux carries the majority of the film on her shoulders, delivering a powerful performance as Jessica. She deftly navigates the character's struggles with both her dreams and her past, bringing an emotional depth to the film. Catriona MacColl and Murray Head round out the ing cast with strong performances of their own.

Horsehead is not without its flaws, however. The movie can be difficult to follow at times, with a disted narrative that jumps back and forth between reality and dreams. Some of the special effects also fall short, feeling noticeably cheap at times. But these quibbles are minor compared to the overall quality of the film.

In conclusion, Horsehead is a haunting, surrealist horror movie that will leave you shaken long after the credits roll. Those seeking a standard horror experience may be disappointed, but fans of arthouse horror and surrealism will find plenty to love here. The movie is an ambitious and impressive feature debut for director Romain Basset, and a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.

Horsehead is a 2014 fantasy movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 36 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.8.