An excessively odd, exceptionally gross coming-of-age Finish horror film; Hatching shouldn’t necessarily work… but it does.

 

The story follows 12-year-old Tinja (Siiri Solalinna); a gymnast who is constantly seeking approval from her narcissistic, image-obsessed vlogger mom (Sophia Heikkilä). One day, Tinja discovers a mysterious egg in the woods near her home and decides to hide it under her pillow. What comes out of its shell is nothing short of nightmarish. 

 

Hatching is eerily good at creating an atmosphere that is both unsettling and insanely creepy, and young actress Siiri Solalinna is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Not since The Babadook have I seen such an excellent use of metaphor for emotional destruction. 

 

It’s not an easy watch, especially for those who have a hard time stomaching fictionalized animal deaths. But if you’re a fan of the weird and otherworldly, I highly suggest giving it a go.

 

File this flick under “I can’t believe how much I actually loved this.”