Weathering is a 2023 American psychological thriller that delves into grief, trauma, and the frightening potential for one to lose complete control of their mind. The film is directed and written by Megalyn Echikunwoke and highlights the harsh depiction of a woman loosing control after her child passes away tragically. Captivating storytelling paired with stunning visuals places the audience right in the head of a woman battling with societal standards and self-inflicted struggles.
The film is part of the “Welcome to the Blumhouse” series produced by Blumhouse Television together with Amazon Studios, renowned for suspense and thematic social horror. Weathering does not fall short either, using horror language to tackle issues such as black motherhood, trauma, medical neglect, isolation, and mental health, all this in under 68 minutes.
Synopsis
Weathering follows Maya, an acclaimed journalist and television commentator, whose entire life is flipped upside down after she endures a traumatic stillbirth. The film begins with Maya enduring an emergency C-section which results in her baby’s demise. This leaves her in a state of utter bewilderment and prepares retreating to her family home to mourn and recover.
At first, solitude feels restorative. She cuts off the media, stops picking up phone calls, and tries to find peace in the quiet of her mother’s old house. With time, however, Maya begins developing unsettling visions and auditory hallucinations. These episodes start gently: whispers in pitch-black spaces, moving shadows, and dreams that are far too surreal to be referred to as dreams.
Maya’s once cherished sanctuary turns into a suffocating prison when she begins hallucinating images of her deceased mother and herself. Literally and figuratively, the walls are closing in. While Maya grapples with her reality, she also faces doubts regarding her mental healing, personal security, and the motives of her peers – including her friend, who cares for her despite her odd behavior.
At the peak of her psychological turmoil, Maya experiences unexplained silence punctuated by sudden waves of fear, intense anxiety, and overwhelming these sensations felt simultaneously drowning her – both physically and emotionally. As the sole contestant of her self-inflicted isolation, Maya becomes her own personal villain, while the narrative chooses not to clarify whether she is being haunted, grieving, or suffering from a hitherto unidentified postpartum psychosis.
Weathering escalates in intensity as Maya faces both the ghosts of her past and literal specters in the climatic scenes. Confronting the trauma Matrioshka inflicted, the damage wrought by her mother’s death, and the death’s societal expectations brings suffocating violence. The film focuses on slow mental violence and requires psychological healing from the darkest places of her being.
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Director and Writer:
Megalyn Echikunwoke
Producer:
Blumhouse Television, Amazon Studios
Main Cast:
Maya: Alexis Louder
Dr. Paul: James Tupper
Trey: Jermaine Fowler
Grace (Maya’s Mother, in visions): Alfre Woodard
Maya’s Friend: Gina Torres
Nurse: Holly Taylor
Music: Chad Cannon
Cinematography: Martim Vian
Editor: Ahuviya Harel
Production Design: Syuzanna Mirzoyan
IMDb Rating and Reception
With an approximate IMDb reading of 4.3/10 at the moment, Weathering isn’t regarded favorably by most audience members. Some viewers defended the film, praising the atmospheric touches in the storytelling style and the subject matter’s psychological depth, while critiquing the slow pace and minimalistic approach.
Weathering is likely perceived as lacking some conventional “jump scares” which often appeases horror fans. The lack of a conventional narrative structure, however, has earned Weathering praise in critical circles, appreciating the tackled serious themes through a horror lens.
Key Ideas and Literary Critique
Weathering goes beyond the boundaries of a ghost story, delving into a deep examination of postpartum infection and black femininity in America. The film focuses on black female neglect as sustains violence is actually inflicted upon them by the healthcare system. Maya’s stillbirth, which is performed under medical supervision, is presented as a traumatic experience for many women not solely because of the outcome but because of the total voicelessness and helplessness during the procedure.
The psychological horror of the film is astonishingly linked to transgenerational trauma. Maya’s visions of her deceased mother who serves as both a guardian and a tormentor hint that the burdens and suffering of motherhood is often transcended. The absence of her mother remains a predominant feature throughout of the journey, making it all the more difficult for her to process and move on, thus effectively stunting recovery.
The house as a whole is a literal illustration of the construction of the character’s mind, creaking, crumbling and haunted at the same time. The ignited environment in the house tends to parallel her emotional state. With each new door that creaks open and every new ceiling water leak constructing metaphor to mental collapse, the overarching feeling seems to be towards broken modern.
The lack of explanation surrounding the horror, be it supernatural or not, left much to the imagination of the audience. For example: Is Maya being haunted or is she suffering from a mental breakdown? That question is never answered, leaving the character and viewers alike in a state of unease throughout the film.
Maya performed by Alexis Louder was done beautifully considering this is her first role. She is not only layered, but vulnerable, emotionally raw, in shambles, and most importantly empowering. It is thanks to Louder’s willingness to internal conflicts and consequences that the film earned staggering success. Her portrayal of psychological despair coupled with nuanced dialogue makes the audience sympathize with character who’s deemed ‘the madwoman’ and ‘most of the horror is in her mind.’
Even though the supporting cast had minimal screen time, they were more than adequate. James Tupper, Gina Torres, and Jermaine Fowler portray pillars of sanity in Maya’s mind. Alfre Woodard as her mother plays mystifying visions that are at once enchanting and dreadful.
Production and Style
Weathering’s low budget certainly doesn’t impact its visuals. The camerawork is claustrophobic–it employs natural lighting, long takes, and tight framing. The sound design is especially impactful and weaves silence, creaking, whispering, and distorted echoes to build paranoia and fear.
The pacing is methodical and slow to reflect Maya’s psychological decline. Those anticipating traditional horror will experience more existential dread than jump scares. The film draws from the influence of Hereditary, The Babadook, and Rosemary’s Baby in its fusion of motherhood, mental illness, and horror.
Conclusion
Weathering is unrestrained and self-reflective within conventional horror films, where emotional depth is often sacrificed for shock value. The film takes a personal approach, exploring grief, trauma, and the challenges Black women face within socio-medical frameworks.
While not universally acclaimed, Weathering earns respect for its attempt to venture into the untouched realm of a different sort of horror—the horror of self, silence, and being invisible at one’s most vulnerable. For those wanting to experience a psychological thriller packed with socio-political commentary, Weathering is an emotionally intense and chilling experience that stays long after the film concludes.
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