By Becca Johnson August 26, 2024
Directed by Tim Cruz, 'Ladybug' is a paranormal thriller/romance genre-blend centering on an artist named Grayson (Anthony Del Negro), who moves into a remote cabin in a small town after a break-up, to focus on his next collection titled ‘Ladybug’ without distraction. After noticing the cabin needs some repairs done, he hires Sawyer (Zachary Roozen) to fix the place up. It soon coms to light that Sawyer may not be all he seems, as Grayson notices he’s being stalked by a maniac that seemingly has a link to Sawyer.
'Ladybug' is a meticulously crafted, well acted slow-burner that cleverly blends its LGBTQ+ romance with thriller and horror elements, yet fails to stick the landing due to lacking a true message and becoming too convoluted in its ending.
Review
What’s most impressive about 'Ladybug' is how the story is crafted to build suspense. It utilises an eerie slow burn that ensures the tension creeps up and the audience is kept further on edge within every scene. From the get-go, Grayson is given a cold reception by people in the town, residing in a cabin that doesn’t have running water, and occasionally spots a dark figure hiding in the trees. It feels uncomfortable and awkward, all signs pointing to danger even from those first few frames. Even though the romance that sparks between Grayson and his handyman Sawyer seemingly provides levity to the audience, there’s something about it that doesn’t feel… quite right. Sawyer comes and goes as he pleases, unannounced, enters without knocking, and is almost too good to be true for Grayson. There’s something strange about him from their first meeting, and 'Ladybug' doesn’t let us in on it’s secrets right away, leaving us asking questions and begging for answers. The remote location aids this fear-factor, as although the cabin Grayson moves into is designed beautifully with gorgeous wooden interiors, that feeling of isolation and remoteness leaps off the screen. Ladybug absolutely nails its use of location and the slow pace is entirely warranted as it keeps you heavily invested.
The performances within 'Ladybug' are also fantastic. Lead Anthony Del Negro (Lazy Susan) is terrific as Grayson, an artist who has recently been cheated on and needs to get away and focus on his work. The further the script presses on, the more out of touch with reality Grayson becomes, and Del Negro is able to fully lean into his character and provide emotion, fear and uneasiness with ease. Starring opposite is Zachary Roozen (Crawlers) as the mysterious, handsome handyman Sawyer, a character that despite the fact we know something isn’t quite right about him, we can’t help but love him… even when this is challenged. Roozen and Del Negro have excellent chemistry, with a spark between them that allows the romance element of the flick to really shine. Horror fans will also be glad to see a supporting performance from Scout Taylor-Compton, who most notably played Laurie Strode in Rob Zombie’s Halloween renditions. Though she doesn’t receive much screen time, she is a fun breath of fresh air into this otherwise tense film, providing a few laughs and an airy personality that bring moments of light-heartedness. The cast here are pretty good.
Finer tuning with this movies overall message could’ve helped it make a true mark. What we’re given is a very competent thriller-horror-romance that provides decent amounts of each, but despite the story boasting plenty of intrigue, it doesn’t quite manage to stick the landing. A main plot point within 'Ladybug' is the mistreatment of the LGBTQ+ community, and whilst this is ultimately an interesting and worthwhile angle to explore, it doesn’t really have much to say, and could’ve provided a stronger message to get its point across further. It also occasionally appears that the movie doesn’t know how to end; not only does the run-time of 107 minutes feel a little bloated for the story being told, but it almost suffers from multiple ending syndrome and gets a little too corny in places. The horror aspects are more prominent during the third act, and they’re just okay - it’s a much better thriller than a spook-fest. There are elements of the ending that don’t work too well, which may render the slow burn not quite worth it for some. When the storyline is simpler and more direct and cohesive, 'Ladybug' is overall a better film. It has some really unique and exciting ideas, but perhaps tackles too much.
'Ladybug' is a ghost story with a difference. The performances are fantastic, the production design is fantastic, the story is interesting and it knows how to engage its audience and drip-feed information to create a consistently intriguing film. The remote cabin is such a great location and it’s used well throughout the entire run-time. With a more succinct ending and clearer message, 'Ladybug' could’ve been even better. However, what Tim Cruz does deliver is enough to put him on the map and make 'Ladybug' more than worth a viewing.
Star Rating
'Ladybug' premiered at Frightfest London 2024 August 26
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