20 Incredible Modern Horror Movies That Came Out Of NOWHERE

Daddy’s Head focuses on Laura, a widowed woman who’s trying to connect with her stepson, Isaac, following the sudden death of his father, James. Meanwhile, the pair keep encountering a strange and malicious James-like monster in the woods and around the house that intensifies the rift between them.

Clearly, the movie resembles numerous other recent horrors – including The Babadook, The Hole in the Ground, and Come Play – in that it deals with bereavement, a supernatural force, and a fractured parent/child relationship. Nevertheless, there are several components that elevate Benjamin Barfoot’s latest feature above most of its stylistic siblings.

Chief among them is Julia Brown’s multilayered and meticulously crafted turn as Laura. There’s a depth and realism to her presence that makes her complicated situation – and the resulting frustration, fear, and heartache – wholly believable. Of course, Rupert Turnbull does a fantastic job as Isaac, too, and the rest of the cast is great. Yet, it’s Brown who stands out most.

Rather than rely on cheap shocks and a rushed pace, Barfoot expertly builds tension and drama so that Laura and Isaac’s relationship is adequately developed before the evil entity starts messing with Isaac, Laura, and the people and pets around them. Once it does, its look, movements, and general methods of being shown are highly unnerving.

Without question, Daddy’s Head matches or surpasses every other film of its kind when it comes to accentuating effective scares with poignant storytelling.