Alexandre Aja (High Tension, Mirrors) is making a welcome return to horror with his first film since 2013’s averagely entertaining Horns. Despite Horns being a bit of a disappointment, we’re excited to see what Aja will do with the mysterious tale of The 9th Life of Louis Drax. The mix of supernatural, mystery and suspense elements should be plenty for Aja to get his teeth into.
Synopsis:
After surviving eight near-death accidents throughout his unlucky life, Louis Drax [Aiden Longworth] plunges off a steep cliff on his ninth birthday. While police investigate the cause of Louis’ near-fatal fall and the whereabouts of his violent father Peter [Aaron Paul], acclaimed neurologist Dr. Allan Pascal [Jamie Dornan] uses unorthodox techniques to try to tap into the boy’s unconscious mind and reveal the truth about the events that led to his condition. But as he’s drawn deeper and deeper into the mystery of Louis’ seeming ability to cheat death, the doctor finds himself falling for Louis’ mother, Natalie [Sarah Gadon]. As new clues emerge in the case, a shocking revelation changes the fates of Louis Drax and everyone around him.
Despite looking a little family-friendly and easy on the scares, we are intrigued to see how the story pans out. The trailer does well at delving into the mysteries without giving too much away, enticing us just enough to get us hooked and eager to discover the truth. There are some great visual moments in the trailer, but the music feels a bit too sentimental. With the story border-lining on the edge of a melodrama, we hope that the film itself does not fall over the same cliff as Louis. More horror and less cheese, please.
Words: Jessy Williams (@JessyCritical)
