Movie Review: ‘Death’ – A Bizarre Indie Arthouse Not Meant For Everyone.

Arthouse films are an acquired taste. Not just for the viewers but also for the filmmakers who dare to make them. But the biggest challenge with such films lies in ensuring they find the right audience, who would be capable of appreciating not just their cinematic aesthetics but also the underlying themes they explore.

This is the challenge ‘Death‘, a surreal drama by Anmol Mishra, faces. It is a psychologically heavy film that tells an intense yet confusing tale of a suicidal woman who whilst lying in a bathtub has flashbacks of her past life.

At the film’s opening, we see Sabrina (played by Marigold Pazar) involved in a bizarre domestic accident that leads to the gruesome death of her boyfriend, Romeo (played by David Hecimovic), when a butcher knife falls and hits his skull. This sets the tone for a disorienting narrative where dreams, reality, and paranoia collide in a surreal fashion.

The film’s plot is not linear and demands focus, patience, and perhaps multiple viewings. Sabrina’s memories spiral in and out of clarity, depicting key events that include her growing paranoia as she hides from an ominous figure, Romeo’s eerie and confusing return to propose to her, and her realization during a passionate encounter that she’s not making love to Romeo but to a demonic figure. Each scene leaves the viewer questioning what is real and what is an illusion, much like Sabrina herself.  

One particularly unsettling moment of clarity brings Sabrina to a dinner party with her childhood friend Wendy (played by Lauren Johnson) and Wendy’s eccentric, perpetually high boyfriend Mazza (played by Oliver James Damian). Wendy, it turns out, still harbours romantic feelings for Sabrina, stemming from their brief intimacy in their youth, and is determined to rekindle what they once shared at any cost. Mazza, meanwhile, is a writer caught in a psychedelic haze, thanks to the acid Wendy gave him to stimulate his creativity. This quirky character adds an odd levity to the film, though his constant hallucinations also contribute to its unnerving atmosphere.  

As tensions between the group rise, Sabrina’s mental state unravels further. What begins as fragmented memories soon descends into a disturbing psychological breakdown. The surrealism of the narrative makes it difficult to discern whether certain scenes are flashbacks, dreams, or figments of Sabrina‘s fractured psyche. This lack of clarity heightens the film’s tension but also risks alienating viewers looking for a more structured story.  

Anmol Mishra’s commitment to telling this story is admirable. Like many indie filmmakers, he works with limited resources but uses them effectively. The set designs are simple yet thoughtful, with certain props such as symbols of death in Sabrina’s bedroom carefully chosen to underscore the film’s themes. He also takes a minimalist approach to light the scenes. He just relies on whatever natural light is available to him or whatever basic lighting fixtures are available to make the scene work.

And it’s the same with the sound recording, the interferences and the ambience all are raw and not refined but he amps the intensity a bit with some sound effects and a sound score that isn’t at all imposing.

Fortunately, also, he has a dedicated cast who seems to understand his direction of the film and they equally commit their all to it. Marigold Pazar delivers a convincing performance, embodying Sabrina’s emotional turmoil with an intensity that anchors the film. Her portrayal is haunting and vulnerable, perfectly suited to the film’s surreal and unsettling tone. The supporting cast, particularly Lauren Johnson as Wendy and Oliver James Damian as Mazza, bring depth to their eccentric characters, showing a clear understanding of Mishra’s vision. David Hecimovic is also consistent with his weird accent throughout the film so much so that i am not sure if it is real or all part of his acting for the character Romeo.

Despite its few strengths, the film generally struggles to fully connect with its audience. Its abstract storytelling and deliberately ambiguous themes make it a tough watch, even for those familiar with arthouse cinema. Even after multiple viewings, I still found it challenging to grasp the film’s full message or intentions. While its disorienting structure adds to its mystique, it may also alienate viewers who lack the patience to sit through to the end to piece together its fragmented narrative or let alone give it a second watch.

Ultimately ‘Death’ is an ambitious and bold indie that embraces the surreal and the unsettling. However, its appeal will likely be limited to a niche audience that appreciates avant-garde storytelling assuming it can find that audience.

The entire film feels like a bizarre mind trip that might not be ending anytime soon for not just Sabrina but also the viewer. I will score it 5/10.