Skinamarink review – A pallid attempt at psychological horror

Skinamarink is one of those horror movies, you know? It’s that kind of film you hear about at dinner parties and behind closed doors in pubs.

It’s one of those spooky movies that has travelled through culture corridors and quickly become known as “the scariest movie you’ve ever seen, oh my goodness!”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t disagree more.

Skinamarink follows a pair of children who wake up in the dead of night to find their parents missing. Before long, their house begins to shift; windows disappear, doors change places, and objects begin to vanish and move.

The picture is shot on an exceedingly small budget, and you can tell – but not in the way you might think. There’s just a few camera angles throughout the movie, with most of the screen taken up by pitch black or eery corridors.

Buy Skinamarink here.

The style and power of Skinamarink’s imagery are totally striking, to be sure.

No one could ever say this isn’t a good-looking film, or deny it has a semblance of atmosphere and density to it.

However, without anything real going on throughout the adventure, there’s nothing for real cinema fans to sink their teeth into.

What’s more, the overarching “mystery” of this spooky house or demonic entity or whatever it is simply collapses in on itself by the end.

For me, all intrigue and excitement fizzled out about halfway through when continually nothing happened.

It’s very clear to me that if you aren’t instantly gripped by the dark and foreboding style of Skinamarink, you’ll certainly want to fall asleep (or have the children get devoured by a Demogorgon just for something to happen).

With that said, the children’s acting prowess is incredible. Their fear-ridden, confused deliveries are endearing and a little heartbreaking. 

Skinamarink is a cool experience, with a lot of style and thought behind it, but there is not enough substance under the surface to become an all-time great – despite its reputation.

Skinamarink is out on Blu-ray, DVD and digital now.