Every now and then, one comes across a rare film. A film that digs deep underneath your skin, crawls into your mind, wrapping its long tentacles around your brain and refuses to let go. Symptoms include sitting at the edge of your seat, inability to blink and forgetting to breathe.
Daniel Isn’t Real is one of those film. It’s a seductive film that first asks you to dance and before you know it, it’s leading you in a dangerous dance of death. Adam Egypt Mortimer’s long-awaited return to horror after Some Kind Of Hate is a hugely affecting film, battling between the light and the dark of one’s mind.
The film opens with a young boy, Luke who witnesses a gruesome sight; the aftermath of a shootout in a local coffee shop. Immediately after gazing into the dead eyes of a victim, another boy appears at Luke’s side, asking to play. This is Daniel, a somewhat mischievous little boy who no one else can see. Luke’s mother is happy Luke is happy, but things get weird after Daniel makes Luke drug Luke’s mother. Daniel is forced into a dollhouse in which he stays locked away for years. Until Luke needs Daniel again.
Who hasn’t had an imaginary friend when they were little? Children tend to be more open and receptive, they’re not aware yet of societal norms and expectations, so who knows? Maybe those imaginary friends were indeed real and we simply forgot them, or locked them away as Luke did. Luke’s mother suffers from schizophrenia and Luke is struggling to cope with his day-to-day life so he opens the dollhouse and out comes Daniel, all grown up, now in the form of Patrick Schwarzenegger.
Daniel acts as the ultimate wing man; he’s able to guide Luke through situations where he normally feels inadequate and nervous. He’s everything Luke isn’t, this includes being stupidly well-built, stylish and a little dangerous, a little sexy. Luke craves for Daniel’s company because it allows him to excel in everything. He also needs the companionship Daniel is able to give him, he has a friend, a confidante again.
But Daniel Isn’t Real would be a terrible horror film if everything was good and gravy. Daniel soon begins to influence Luke in all the wrong ways, pushing his limits too far and Luke begins to question Daniel’s motives. But Daniel isn’t real. Right? This is the question lurking within the film. Can an imaginary friend, something born out of your own need for friendship and support be able to hurt you? The film gets some fantastically gruesome body horror sequences, before finally converting into full-on cosmic horror. The ending to the film isn’t quite as interesting as the build-up, but Daniel Isn’t Real is a mysterious, delicious film that lingers in your mind.
Miles Robbins, son to Tim is mostly known for playing the goofy stoner kid in films like Halloween and Blockers, but here Robbins is able to demonstrate and flex his muscles as a serious actor. Luke is a tragic character; lonely and scared, perhaps even weak, but always engaging and relatable. He’s able to sink into the depths of despair, slur drunkenly or scream in terror all in equal measure.
Patrick Schwarzenegger, son of the big Arnie himself is also impressive. Daniel isn’t just a state of mind, but a very physical being, from his slick hair and the way he carries his flamboyant suits. Schwarzenegger shreds any trace of a pretty boy image and carries the weight of the role with admirable skill and integrity. He effortlessly blends the more dangerous and ugly side with Daniel’s sexier qualities. When Daniel’s true intentions and past comes to light, Schwarzenegger goes delightfully bonkers and off the rails.
The only one dealt a bad card is Sasha Lane playing Cassie, Luke’s love interest. It’s a very masculine film, about the very essence of masculinity so I’m not going to complain too much, but Cassie simply isn’t engaging or interesting enough when she’s on screen despite Lane’s best efforts. The film works best when it examines the different types of masculinity and the toxicity that comes with them.
The dynamic between Luke and Daniel is what really sticks with you after the credits roll. The film touches on many relatable issues and feelings such as the fear of not being enough and the fear of losing control. Daniel represents the very worst inside all of us, something primal and hungry that is desperate to be released to feed. Luke is delighted at first to have Daniel in his life, because Daniel bring a sense of freedom and enlightenment with him, allowing Luke to blossom and become a person he longs to be. It all gets out of hand quickly and Luke is eager to push Daniel back down, but this time Daniel won’t go away quite as easily. After all, Daniel is a part of Luke, born out of his needs. This is what scares Luke; all of Daniel’s worst qualities are somehow his own, representing his own dark desires and needs that he doesn’t care to admit.
Adam Egypt Mortimer has crafted a masterful film. He’s aided by the superb cinematography by Lyle Vincent and the sound design and music. Daniel Isn’t Real is an interesting look into our psyche and the demons and fears that linger dormant within us. It’s a film that thrives on its performances and Robbins and Schwarzenegger’s dynamic, but really comes together as a whole under Egypt Mortimer’s guiding hand.
Verdict 9/10
Have you seen Daniel Isn’t Real? What did you think of this mind-bending cosmic horror?
Daniel Isn’t Real is scheduled for a limited release on 6th of December in the US,