Suspense Builds Quietly in “SOMETHING OF A MONSTER” (2025)

Courtesy of Persimmon

Pregnancy horror at times can be a hit-or-miss corner of the horror genre. It’s a niche that either connects deeply with audiences who appreciate its emotional weight or leaves viewers frustrated when the metaphor that might overwhelm the movie. I recently had a chance to watch “Something of Monster”. The movie was directed by Brandon Duncan and written by Hyten Davidson and Christian Missonak. It’s a solid thriller with atmosphere to spare, even if it leans on a handful of tropes that can stretch your patience long before the payoff hits.

HOW DOES THE MOVIE STACK UP?:

Set in 1984, the movie follows a woman experiencing a phantom pregnancy, sent away to a remote Catskills inn as if isolation will somehow restore her sanity. From the moment she arrives, it’s clear that solitude is the last thing she’s going to get. Duncan wastes no time hinting that something is off, that something is watching, and that something isn’t planning to keep its distance. The setup is simple, but sometimes simplicity is all you need to let the dread settle in.

Star Ashley Bacon anchors the movie with a performance that balances desperation, exhaustion, and a stubborn sliver of hope. Joy Avigail Sudduth and Ameerah Briggs round out the cast with grounded, layered performances that make the inn feel lived in instead of like a set dressed for a scare. Yet the character work, while strong, is constantly undermined by the movies’s most irritating trope: nobody believes the main character Amelia.

This trope isn’t just present, it’s practically weaponized. Even when the movie lays out clear, undeniable evidence that something supernatural or sinister is unfolding, the people around her don’t simply shrug it off; they aggressively blame her. There are scenes where the victim-blaming is so sharp and so persistent that it becomes genuinely uncomfortable to watch. Instead of creating tension, it pushes the story into repetitive territory. I’ve seen plenty of horror movies use this device that works like “Rosemary’s Baby” to “The Unborn” but rarely has it felt this stubborn. The refusal to acknowledge the obvious borders on narrative laziness, and it’s the one element that repeatedly pulls the story down.

Courtesy of PersimmonCourtesy of Persimmon

Ashley Bacon deserves extra attention for her performance within this setup. She carries the emotional weight of the movie, and for the most part, she does it well. There are moments early on where her acting leans a little over the top, particularly in scenes where panic takes over but she eventually finds her footing. Once she settles into the rhythm of the story, her performance becomes grounded, compelling, and fully in sync with the film’s emotional core. Her ability to rebound and deliver a strong second half keeps you invested even when the script’s choices make you want to yell at the screen.

Still, for all its frustrating decisions, the movie eventually rewards your patience. The movies’s slow-burn pacing (at times can be a bit too slow) gives way to a final 20 minutes that completely change the temperature of the experience. When the movie kicks into full gear, it’s genuinely gripping. The tension sharpens, the pieces fall into place, and suddenly the emotional through-line of the movie lands with clarity and force. Those last moments are where the story’s deeper themes finally shine: the painful weight of pregnancy trauma, the psychological aftermath of loss, and how society often responds to women’s suffering with dismissal instead of compassion. It’s a pointed message, delivered with enough sincerity that it lingers long after the credits roll.

Courtesy of Persimmon

Cinematographer Brendan McGowan deserves an entire paragraph to himself. His work elevates the movie far beyond what the script sometimes allows. The framing is deliberate and unnerving, often revealing just enough in the background to raise your pulse without resorting to obvious scare tactics. He uses the woods, the hallways, and the cluttered corners of the inn to build a sense of presence, as if something always is lingering just out of reach. The inn itself becomes a character thanks to his lens. You can almost smell the old wood and feel the cold draft under the door. Nothing is over-lit or over-calculated; McGowan understands that the best horror hides in the architecture and the shadows. It’s a beautifully shot movie, and his work alone makes it worth at least one viewing.

What truly gives the movie emotional weight is its commentary on pregnancy and loss. Without spoiling anything, “Something of Monster” captures the internal collapse that can follow phantom pregnancies, miscarriages, or the loss of a child. It demonstrates how grief can warp someone’s reality, not because they’re fragile, but because the trauma is profound. Through its thriller framework, the movie highlights how society tends to stereotype women in these situations rather than support them. It’s uncomfortable, but intentionally so. That thematic honesty makes the movie stand out, even when its storytelling choices falter.

The supernatural element (or possibly psychological element, depending on how you read it), serves as both metaphor and menace. The mysterious woman in the woods is one of the most effective parts of the narrative. Duncan smartly keeps her at the edges, using presence over proximity to create dread. She embodies both literal and symbolic threat: the fear of someone taking what isn’t theirs, the fear of losing what you believed you had, and the fear of being replaced. That layering adds dimension to a story that otherwise risks slipping into familiar territory.

Courtesy of Persimmon

While the movie has its problems, I still found myself invested. The tone, the imagery, and the tension work more often than they don’t, even if the script struggles with repetitive beats and frustrating character logic. The inn setting, the cold 1984 atmosphere, and the creeping presence in the trees all work together to build a world that feels isolated and suffocating. The filmmakers know how to shape mood, which is half the battle in horror.

By the time the credits roll, “Something of Monster” lands as a one-time watch, but a watch you’ll enjoy. It doesn’t reinvent pregnancy horror, but it respects its themes, delivers a strong lead performance, and ends with a pulse-pounding third act that’s absolutely worth waiting for. If you can push past the aggravating stretches of disbelief and the heavy-handed victim-blaming, you’ll find a thriller with a clear voice and an emotional core that resonates. The think to get in mind with this movie is this, sometimes a movie doesn’t need to be perfect to get under your skin—it just needs to be honest enough to haunt you. “Something of Monster” from Persimmon is available today, December 4th on VOD.

Whether it’s slashers in the woods, ghosts in the attic, or killers in the cornfield, ILHM Reviews brings you the frightful horror flick recommendations worth watching. Follow us on Instagram, be sure to listen to the the "I Love Horror" podcast and remember that if you’re a true fan of horror, every night can be a FRIGHT NIGHT!