The first whispers of every holiday season invite the practicing of traditions, dusting off of decorations and, most of all, new Netflix movies. With the first sniff of spiced aromas, Netflix drops heaps of formulaic films to satisfy Halloween hankerings, yet rarely are these interesting, let alone good. However, “It’s What’s Inside” managed to deviate from the painfully bland status quo.
This un-pc movie centers around a group of former college friends reuniting for a wedding party in a remote manor. The black sheep of the friend group shows up unexpectedly, bringing a device that causes a Freaky Friday-esque body switch among the guests. Of course, chaos ensues, and themes of relationships, masks and morality are explored.
This raunchy movie is average on its own but earns some brownie points due to its experimental risks. Interesting lighting and thoughtful camera manipulation makes for stimulating visuals and sets an eerie mood. Creative editing makes prominent exposition more natural. The mostly unfamiliar cast put on convincing performances, despite their characters lacking depth. The thriller delivered what a thriller should: an unsettling atmosphere, occasional scares and a decent plot twist.
Yet the main reason why this movie stands out to me is merely because it is different. Netflix’s redundancy is getting unbearable. Take “Time Cut” (2024) and “Totally Killer” (2023): both plots feature a Gen-Z female traveling back in time to prevent the murder of a loved one. This is not a bad premise, but with the release dates so close in proximity, the once semi-unique story becomes nothing more than recycled and boring.
Beyond veering from the expected, “It’s What’s Inside” is a decent film that enhanced this Halloween season’s movie output.
