Spoilers know not to trust kids in horror films.

The premise of the artist that gets so much into their work that they’re driven to madness is a horror classic. Yet, it’s been a while since I’ve seen it revisited with such care and intensity as in this feature. That being said, the film does seem to dwell a little too long before moving the story along. This makes for a slow burn whose wick might be a little too long to keep everyone engaged.

(Credit: Blue Light)

Stopmotion (2023) was directed by Robert Morgan who wrote it with Robin King. Celebrated stop motion filmmaker Suzanne Blake (Stella Gonet) no longer has the dexterity needed by her craft. Her daughter Ella (Aisling Franciosi) now moves the figures in a painstaking process directed by her strict mother who holds nothing back of criticizing her daughter without mercy. When Suzanne is hospitalized, Ella contemplates finally stepping out of her mother’s shadow and crafting her own art. This puts Ella on a strange path where the lines between reality and fantasy blur with an unlikely guide.

This is one film where the art of stop-motion comes to life. Ella’s advisor, a young girl that comes out of nowhere (Caoilinn Springall), seems to have a clear idea of what story to tell. But as Ella is pushed to up the ante on the macabre, the story in the actual film seems to linger a little too much before moving on. Not only does this make the film feel like it’s slowing down, it also seems to dispel any tension built up. This is a pity, because as production values go, it’s obvious the film incorporates a lot of the same craft to make Ella’s characters come to life. The challenge for a lot of the audience is to keep invested in Ella’s plight all the way to the end.

Recommended solely for the showcase of stop-motion craft and slow burn horror. Yes, it does bring more than enough horror to make audiences squirm, but the slow storytelling loses steam before getting there. Unfortunately this means only lovers of the craft might enjoy it and even then, there’s slow burn and complete stop. Perhaps worth a watch if you’re curious, but just as the craft it depicts it requires a lot of patience.

That will do for now.