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Bloat 2025

Bloat (2025) is a Japanese-American screenlife horror film directed by Pablo Absento in her feature debut. Released on March 7, 2025, by Lionsgate, the film stars Ben McKenzie, Bojana Novakovic, Sawyer Jones, Malcolm Fuller, and Kane Kosugi.🧟‍♂️ Plot Summary The story follows a family vacationing in Japan. Their younger son, Kyle, survives a near-drowning incident in a remote mountain lake. Soon after, unsettling changes in his behavior—such as aggression, obsession with cucumbers, and vomiting green bile—suggest something supernatural. Jack, his father, remains stationed in the Middle East due to military obligations but monitors the situation remotely. As Kyle's condition worsens, Jack investigates the Japanese legend of the Kappa, a water demon believed to possess children.🎬 Critics Critics have offered mixed reviews: Metacritic: The film holds a mixed score of 40 based on 4 critic reviews, with 75% mixed and 25% negative. RogerEbert.com: Marya E. Gates notes that while the film attempts to blend J-horror and screenlife genres, it ultimately lacks the emotional impact and horror intensity expected from such a premise. HellHorror: The review highlights the film's strong performances and atmospheric tension but criticizes its lack of genuine scares and uneven pacing.📝 Conclusion Bloat (2025) is a unique blend of Japanese folklore and modern screenlife horror that explores a family’s terrifying ordeal with a supernatural water demon. While it offers strong performances and an intriguing premise rooted in the eerie legend of the Kappa, the film’s slow pacing and lack of intense scares may not satisfy all horror fans. Overall, it’s an atmospheric, culturally rich horror experience that appeals more to viewers interested in psychological tension and folklore than jump scares.

  • 2025
  • 1 h : 27 min
  • 126 views
  • 3.689
  • R
  • English (Canada)
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