It Lives Inside

It Lives Inside at least isn’t just another mainstream horror weepy about grief – there’s a lot more that it’s playing around with...

Some fresh ideas spruce up this horror, but it’s an ambitious debut which forgets that less is more. A lack of focus is the real killer.

The early scares from the debut director Bishal Dutta are eerie and evocative, but once the demon itself appears all bets are off.

While the idea of using a supernatural scary movie as a starting point for exploring the second-gen immigrant experience is rife with possibilities, the end result here doesn’t necessarily make good on the promise of that premise.

All that really saves It Lives Inside from derivative storytelling beats cribbed from a thousand other horror movies is the cultural specificity of its monster as well as the means by which Sam must ultimately face it.

With major deficiencies like plot, themes, and tension holding Dutta’s film back, “It Lives Inside” is merely average on the outside.

It Lives Inside doesn’t have enough to distinguish it as a horror flick, despite Dutta’s clear efforts.

While it offers an intriguing introduction of Hindu culture and delves into supernatural mythology we don't typically see in horror, it does little to add anything new to the oversaturated possession genre with basic jump scares, and teen horror tropes.

It Lives Inside boasts incredible creature effects and strong performances, making it a real crowd pleaser

It Lives Inside leans into conventions but supplies plenty of spooky scares, one of which is ripped straight out of Insidious.