Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Allegoria’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Allegoria’.
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One common struggle that creative minds from every corner of the entertainment industry speak to now and again, that outright surprises us of course, is how difficult it can be to create. And what takes us by surprise when we hear that, is that so many of us believe, that creativity is something that simply moves like the wind about the world and those who take part in the industry are simply attune to a different plane and can tap into this power and just make magic happens for hours on end. But that’s simply not how creativity works. In fact, making art is hard work. The kind that requires hours upon hours of fine tuning and sleepless nights and sometimes… the creatives juices needed to bring something special to life aren’t there.
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Not to mention, there is a tough side to creativity that we also hear about now and again, in that… sometimes in order to create something dark and disturbing in nature, an artist has to, in turn, tap into something dark and disturbing as well. A move that can only add to the struggle sometimes since the artist is forced to take part and be present in thoughts and mental spaces, we all work to avoid. In fact, it can be so devastating to experience that sometimes artists suffer greatly for it, but for the most part, they recover, and they move forward and make note of that experience, but not without a touch of fear. Since those same creative minds sometimes wonder who they would become or what would become of them… if the darkness took hold or somehow came to life.

Which is a concept that is central to our discussion today, simply because there is a brand-new movie on Shudder that takes the time to explore that possibility and that makes Allegoria, quite the fascinating ride. For this anthology themed horror feature, one that connects several vignettes through a couple of common threads, dives deep into what it would look like if the darkest parts of the human psyche and creativity were able to give birth to physical iterations of thoughts and creative concepts that are evil and twisted in nature and spoiler alert… it would be bad. Since that evil is indeed unleashed and without worry or consequence and it consumes and divides and commits horrible acts across every vignette, leaving blood and terror in its wake.

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A storytelling decision that makes this… a supremely impactful horror film. Because the scares here work through and through, courtesy of the fact that you never quite know how this movie is going to terrify you. Because at times, the scares just come at you in a fast and furious manner, prompting you to jump or reel back in surprise. But at other times, everything spooky and creepy is a slow burn surprise. The kind that builds tension and prompts you grab the arm of your chair in anticipation of the ugly to come. Plus, the gore is also pretty fantastic, since it isn’t presented in a gratuitous manner, it’s impactful and disgusting as good gore should be, and what’s amazing, is that this movie has so much more to offer than quality scares.
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For there is in fact… a lot of commentary to be found in this story. Some of which is directed at the entertainment industry, and its expectations for artists and the demands they face when it comes to tapping into something more primal for art. But that commentary aside, this is in many ways, a story that deeply explores the creative process and the good and bad that comes with that. Since there are toxic ways to create and we see some of that here, and that makes for some fascinating moments for certain, the kind that answer some questions for the audience and of course… make for engaging storytelling.

Because at its core, this too is entertainment and this movie most certainly entertains. Because its unique structure and fascinating vignettes simply draw you in, regardless of the deeper stuff. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the cast sells the ugly well and that this movie even finds a way to have fun with the material as well. Courtesy of the movie within the movie, Big Baby, and well, in the end… all of these elements make this movie a supremely worthwhile and engaging watch. One that offers up a bevy of wonderful concepts to chew upon and is host to everything that horror fans love. Plus, it’s also full of Easter Eggs regarding the connective tissue of these vignettes, meaning you’ll likely want to watch this amazing ride a few times to properly soak all of that in, and the good news is… you can do that right now. For Allegoria is available to stream on Shudder.

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