It Lives Inside

    

    

      Another entry in the recent slate of horror movies,  "It Lives Inside" adds a new element to the tired "teens in danger" storyline. The main character is Sam, a teen girl of Indian origin who must face off against an evil Hindu spirit to protect her friends and family. In her suburban town, Sam denies her Indian origins to "blend in" at school and avoid being alienated. When she unwittingly unleashes the evil spirit possessing her friend Tamira, she must embrace her heritage to fight the demon. 

      Sam is played convincingly by Megan Suri and the rest of the cast includes Neeru Bajwa as her mother, Vik Sahay as her father, Gage Marsh as Russ, her love interest, and Betty Gabriel as Joyce Dixon, a teacher and friend.

      The film is written and directed by Bishal Dutta and while there are some genuine creepy moments, the horror tropes are pretty standard and lack any real scares. The editing is choppy at times, scenes jump from one to the next, seemingly unconnected. And while it is a horror movie, there are irrational elements to the plot that take you out of the film's reality.

      If the film does well, the ending, while definitive, does leave the door open for a sequel. Sadly, I'm still waiting for a new horror film that will send the popcorn flying out of my lap.