“Iiiiiiiisaccccc… Iiiiiiiisaaaaaac… Come to the forest.” 

Story: Soon after James remarries, he’s struck down. His new bride Laura and son (from his first marriage) Isaac struggling to pick up the pieces, even though they barely like, let alone understand, each other. But when something appears in the woods, Isaac thinks it’s his dad, come back. Laura is definitely not sure about that. But there definitely is something there…

Scares: Lots of dread. A jumpy, action-packed climax.
Splat Factor: A good doggo gets slashed up. Flashes of James after his accident; it looks like his face…is no longer there.

Subgenre: Grief Is A Metaphor Horror
Year Released: 2024
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original

Trick or Treat?: People seem to either love this, or hate it. Gotta admit that the first few minutes of slow nothing had me about to switch off. But I decided to keep going, and while Head isn’t exactly riveting fare for the first three quarters, that last act is both scary and sweet.

Yeah, that’s a strange mix, but hear me out. Head is a meditation on grief and parental responsibilities, ala The Babadook. The hollowness and mental exhaustion is similar in both films. But here, there’s no emotional connection between the woman and boy, making it all the more heartbreaking. Laura “never wanted children. I wanted James.” Isaac is shell-shocked by the death of his father, and the loss of his mother in the not-too distant past. Seriously, James? I get falling in love soon after loss. But not bothering to make sure your new love and your son get along, or even know each other? You were definitely an ass.

The dynamic between Laura and Isaac is set up to fail; she’s in recovery, but she’s blackout every night. Isaac is distant, as you’d expect from a kid who’s lost both his parents within a handful of years. FFS, somebody give this poor kid a hug! During all the grieving, nobody consoles Isaac, and as he had no “real” family beyond his biological parents, he consoles himself by disassociating. No wonder little dude sees things…especially when there are things actually there. Said things are constructed beautifully by Millennium FX, and writer/director Benjamin Barfoot knows how to tease viewers, and never overshares the creature, even during the climax. The mix of alien-like creature and a haunting, grinning humanoid face? Welcome to tonight’s nightmare, kids. Wide shots showing exactly how isolated they are, and how huge the forest is, adding a feeling of unease throughout.

Head takes a while to get going, and neither Laura nor Isaac seem particularly compelling at first. In fact, I outright hated Laura and her selfish, closed-off attitude. (Then again, all of the adults here feel hollow, as if they can’t be bothered with Isaac and process their own grief.) But as with Head‘s cousin The Babadook, the climax and final scenes had me hopeful for the future of this trauma-bonded family.

Barfoot could have ended this film a few times during the final five minutes, but I like that he chose a time jump for the characters. It might not make up for every bit of stagnant plotting, or a character arc that appears out of nowhere, but the last twenty minutes? Worth it.

Score: 3 out of 5 pumpkins.