Worth: $17.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
LaKeith Stanfield, Adina Porter, Alexis Louder, Clark Backo, Samuel T. Herring
Intro:
At turns whimsical, tense, and haunting, it delivers on the promise of a fairy tale for adults in the grimmest and most memorable way possible.
Taken on a literal level, and ignoring the allegorical subtext typical to the genre, fairy tales are deeply messed up yarns. Brimming with kidnapping, child abuse and frequent infanticide, these stories may have been somewhat declawed for modern sensibilities, but their original tellings were often grim and disturbing. The Changeling, the 8-part Apple TV+ adaptation of the acclaimed horror novel by Victor LaValle, is a note perfect distillation of just how dark these narratives can be, particularly when transposed to a (mostly) modern day American location. The result is a tense, thoughtful series that demands your attention.
The Changeling is the story of Apollo Kagwa (LaKeith Stanfield) and Emma Valentine (Clark Backo), an oddly matched but very committed couple who give birth to their first child, with all the drama and ecstasy that entails. Things take a turn for the worse, however, when Emma begins to exhibit signs of severe mental illness and eventually she begins to claim that wee Brian “isn’t a baby” at all.
After that, things turn downright horrifying.
The Changeling is a fascinating exercise in tone and style. The first episode feels like a Neil Gaiman story, complete with voiceover from LaValle himself; the second a more modern riff on Rosemary’s Baby; and the third? The third episode reveals itself to be some of the most impactful horror material in 2023, delivering a devastating opening and a twist that changes the entire direction of the story.
Although the plot twists and turns through time and imagination, the main bulk of the action revolves around LaKeith Stanfield who, once again, proves to be one of this generation’s most interesting and versatile actors. Not your typical leading man type, Apollo is sensitive, articulate and – because of the events that unfold – profoundly traumatised. He’s the sort of character you root for, even though you suspect his ending will be anything but happy. Kudos should also go to Clark Backo who manages to go from delightful to genuinely terrifying in such a convincing manner. The direction, too, is top notch with a grimy, moody colour palette and effectively staged sequences that will worm their way under your skin.
The Changeling is, in a year already chockers with great genre entertainment, an absolute must watch. At turns whimsical, tense, and haunting, it delivers on the promise of a fairy tale for adults in the grimmest and most memorable way possible. If you’re up for a trip into the deep, dark woods, then The Changeling will gladly lead you there.
