As I may have mentioned in previous reviews, the horror genre is perhaps the most consistent one, meaning that there are always ideas and stories just waiting to be explored, even in the body-horror category. Body horror has been depicted for years ever since David Cronenberg came on the scene, but he’s not the only one who takes it even further. Australian filmmaker, actor, and composer Michael Shanks can also join Cronenberg, especially with his feature-film debut, this year’s gnarly and unpredictable horror hit Together.
Buy Together Blu-rayReal-life couple, actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco (who both give career best performances), star as Millie, an elementary school teacher, and Tim, an aspiring musician. They are unmarried but their relationship is very strained, especially due to Tim’s emotional distance ever since he found his parents dead in bed. So, for a fresh new start, he and Millie move to the country. While hiking near their new home, they both fall into a mysterious underground cave and decide to spend the night in it. Tim drinks from the water in the cave but Millie doesn’t. When they wake, they find themselves stuck together by their legs but dismiss the incident. However, things get really warped when their bodies start to take a horrifying turn, pulling them closer and closer, until they both merge into each other, which makes the word ‘inseparable’ take on a whole new meaning.
I know I gave away the plot of the film, but if you saw the bonkers trailer, you can already get the gist of what it is about. But that doesn’t lessen the impact because it’s not just about the body horror, it’s also about grief, broken relationships, and cults too. There is also humorous banter between Brie and Franco that makes it feel real and meta. They have amazing chemistry, which makes the impending tragedy even more heartbreaking and so disturbing. The special effects are incredibly detailed and quite graphic (including one grisly moment involving a body saw) that will obviously send you up the wall. They look less primitive than the usual CGI that you see in other movies, which makes the entire film stand out more.
There’s also a great, sublimely creepy supporting performance by actor Damon Herriman as Jamie, Millie’s teacher and new neighbor. At first, he seems nice and caring, but he has very dark side, which is revealed in a crucial turning point. This adds to the twists and turns (and jump scares) that are expertly crafted throughout the film.
Together is basically the best film Cronenberg never made. It takes body horror to a new realm and doesn’t resort to formulaic cliches. I really loved it. I can’t wait to see what Shanks does next. Even with this first feature, he seems to know how to make a damn good (and nasty) horror film, one that will stay in my mind rent free for a long time.
Special features include interview with Shanks; interview with Brie and Franco; Brie and Franco’s Codependency Quiz; and teaser/trailer. There are also trailers for Alpha and Splitsville at the beginning before the main menu.
