Quỷ Bóng Đè Mara (2018)

In 'Mara' (2018), director Clive Tonge bravely ventures into the primal terror derived from sleep paralysis, a profoundly unsettling psychological phenomenon. More than just a typical supernatural horror film, it’s a deep dive into the human psyche's abyss when confronted with inexplicable entities. Olga Kurylenko delivers a compelling performance as Kate, a forensic psychologist, imbuing her character with essential emotional depth and credibility. She masterfully navigates the conflict between scientific logic and the encroaching supernatural dread.

Tonge's cinematic techniques effectively build tension, employing light and shadow to craft a pervasive sense of dread, though at times it lacks groundbreaking originality. Nevertheless, the standout element is unequivocally Javier Botet, the maestro of creature performance, portraying Mara. He transforms the entity into a tangible, haunting horror with minimal reliance on CGI. While occasionally adhering to genre conventions, 'Mara' still carves out its niche, standing as a noteworthy entry in the cinematic universe exploring psychic phenomena and psychological obsession, provoking thought on the very nature of fear.