Where The Dead Go To Die is not your typical horror film. For viewers accustomed to jump scares and conventional frights, this animated feature may seem like an anomaly, even a mess. However, for those who find true horror in the unsettling and the surreal, in the glitches that expose the cracks in reality, this film, directed by Jimmy ScreamerClauz, is a chillingly effective experience. It burrows into your psyche in a way that polished, mainstream horror often fails to achieve. Think of the disturbing glitches in The Sims, those nightmarish contortions of the virtual, and you’re starting to approach the unsettling nature of Where the Dead Go to Die.
Many will dismiss this film due to its atrocious animation and jarring voice acting. Indeed, technically, it’s a disaster. The visuals resemble something crudely rendered in The Sims, perhaps with expansion packs designed for the deeply disturbed – ones that delve into bestiality and psychedelic nightmares. This aesthetic will undoubtedly be a barrier for many, rendering the film almost unwatchable. Yet, paradoxically, this very crudeness amplifies the horror. Similarly, the bizarre, adult voice mimicking a child is far more unsettling than a child actor could ever be. It creates a sense of wrongness, as if we’ve stumbled upon something profane, something not meant for human eyes.
Where the Dead Go to Die earns its place among the most disturbing films ever made, rivaling the infamous likes of Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom, and Martyrs in its capacity to shock and unsettle. Had this been live-action, the director might very well face legal repercussions, given the film’s graphic content. Despite the animation’s shortcomings, the ideas at play are profoundly disturbing. Without giving away too much of the film’s twisted narrative, be warned: it explores deeply depraved themes involving children, presented with an explicitness that is deeply uncomfortable. Even depicted through crude, almost blob-like animation, the impact remains potent, heightened by a relentlessly horrifying score that underscores the film’s bleakness.
The film adopts an anthology format, weaving together three interconnected stories set in the same unsettling neighborhood. A demonic dog acts as a catalyst, drawing each protagonist into horrific scenarios. The first segment introduces a young boy manipulated by the demonic canine into believing his mother’s unborn child is the antichrist, urging him to commit infanticide. This opening tale sets the stage for the escalating madness and disturbing imagery that follows. The second story, perhaps the weakest of the three, delves into the surreal as it follows a man who harvests the memories of his victims after murdering them. This segment leans heavily into hellish, kaleidoscopic visuals, sometimes at the expense of narrative coherence. However, the final story is arguably the most potent and deeply disturbing. It centers on a neglected boy burdened with the parasitic head of his deceased Siamese twin. He develops a relationship with a young girl who harbors her own terrifying secrets within her home, culminating in scenes of intense emotional and visceral horror.
Where the Dead Go to Die pushes boundaries far beyond what most viewers can stomach. It ventures into territories that are not just shocking, but deeply unsettling and morally repugnant. While one might initially dismiss it as mere shock value exploitation, there’s a discernible narrative thread, particularly in the final segment, suggesting a prioritization of story over sheer depravity by Jimmy ScreamerClauz. This is not gratuitous shock for its own sake, unlike films that revel in pointless gore. The disturbing elements are integral to the surreal narrative, amplifying its thematic impact. There are moments, particularly in the final story, that achieve a disturbing emotional resonance, eliciting a sense of profound bleakness and despair.
Technically, Where the Dead Go to Die is far from a masterpiece. Yet, it’s undeniably original, venturing into cinematic spaces rarely explored. While its relentless barrage of glitchy, surreal imagery can become overwhelming, the film possesses a strange, captivating quality when it finds its focus. It’s a challenging film to categorize – simultaneously trashy and yet startlingly original. Ultimately, Where the Dead Go to Die is an unforgettable, deeply upsetting cinematic experience. It disturbed, horrified, and emotionally impacted this viewer in ways that few films achieve, and that unsettling, lingering effect is, in itself, a testament to its unsettling power.
