Appendage (2023) is a Smart Creature Feature That Will Grow On You

Title: Appendage

First Non-Festival Release: October 2, 2023 (Digital/Streaming Platforms)

Director: Anna Zlokovic

Writer: Anna Zlokovic

Runtime: 94 Minutes

Starring: Hadley Robinson, Emily Hampshire, Kausar Mohammed

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

Hating yourself can manifest into some serious physical trauma in many ways. From self-deprecating humor to extreme bodily harm, it’s human nature to feel some type of way about yourself.

Appendage manifests this feeling into horror. Hannah (Hadley Robinson) is an up-and-coming fashion designer who works under a tyrant of a boss, Cristean (Desmin Borges), along with her best friend Esther (Kausar Mohammed). Her intensive job means she has less time to spend with her loving boyfriend, Kaelin (Brandon Mychal Smith). While her life isn’t going great, it manages to derail further when Hannah notices a pain in her stomach. Exacerbated by stress, the pain grows until it sprouts out of her, comes to life, and turns into a creature that is the manifestation of all the things that she hates about herself.

Surprisingly heartfelt body horror comedy Appendage delights with engaging storytelling and sharp humor.

Hannah’s self-hate is so strong it conjures a parasitic organ hellbent on taking over her life, which for anyone under the age of 30 is a highly relatable concept. Be it her demanding job that feeds her imposter syndrome, her strained relationship with her well-meaning yet clueless parents, or her constant internal questioning of her friend’s and boyfriend’s intentions, Hannah is spiraling. This feeds some of Hannah’s worst tendencies: distancing herself from loved ones and throwing herself into work. No matter flawed she may be, Hannah still tries. This makes her not only relatable but an easy character to root for.

The horror in Appendage materializes in Hannah’s anxieties about her life. What starts as a minor irritation grows into something hell-bent on taking over her life, both literally and metaphorically. The appendage itself reflects all the worst thoughts Hannah has of herself knocking her into a hypnotic state. Assigning horror to a more conceptual feeling allows for Appendage to go in deep with its metaphor for the cyclical nature of self-loathing. Hannah feels powerless to react as her ever-growing self-doubt gets stronger than the thoughts that counterbalance it. In short, the appendage grows and morphs into true horror the more that Hannah succumbs to her anxiety.

At the heart of writer/director Anna Zlokovic’s horror comedy is friendship that stands resilient against the strain of adversity. Hannah and Esther’s friendship provides the foundation for a powerful tale about leaning on your support system in times of distress. It’s clear that Hannah’s family are unable to connect with her after helping her through her high school suicide ideation and her boyfriend, Kaelin, while invested in the relationship has yet to truly know her to tell when something is off. Esther’s presence in her life is the one shining light that consistently cuts through the self-doubt and hatred that is underneath Hannah’s career-focused demeanor. Fused with beautiful and real moments of human connection, forgiveness, and love, their friendship makes Appendage better and emotionally real.

Dry humor and over-the-top performances add charm to the body horror that might otherwise get lost in the metaphorical plot. Appendage is a goofy movie and that is what makes it great. It fits perfectly with the themes because despite the seriousness of negative feelings towards oneself, there is some inherent silliness laced within the idea too. This is exhibited by the appendage’s outlandish barbs it throws at Hannah. It’s humorous because most people can relate to having insecurities and being their own worst critic, but to see that come to life in the form of a nasty little goblin creature with a penchant for hyperbole makes for some hilarious self-reflection. The cast look like they are having a blast toying with each other and breezing through the script, especially when it gets wonky.

Perhaps the only pitfall of Appendage is its rather anemic approach to horror. For such a terrifying concept, there isn’t much bite to the movie. The various copies that are made from people that have lost their battles with themselves don’t do much damage. Their reign of terror is precise but their follow through isn’t threatening enough to land an emotional reaction due to the very metaphorical nature of their takeover. The final fight scene in Appendage is subdued and leans into Hannah’s journey with self-acceptance rather than the horror of the doubles. This doesn’t make the film bad, but it does give an anticlimactic feel to the ending.

This Hulu body horror film won’t be for everyone, but Appendage is an easy watch with a smart concept that makes it worth checking out. With more overt forms of metaphorical horror taking an excessively serious approach these days, seeing a fun take on a serious topic is refreshing. The only downside is its focus on humor does take away from the more horrific aspects of the story, but it is easy enough to look past. Self-esteem horror without being too saccharine, Appendage is a fun time mixed with an important message.

Overall Score? 7/10