What do you get when the child of a stressed out mother and a comically oblivious father begins playing with a new imaginary friend? You get a deeply unsettling little flick. For a film I, perhaps unfairly, assumed would be rather predictable given the premise, “Z” managed to subvert my expectations (and give me terrible nightmares). The third act completely derailed whatever preconceived notions I had about where the film was headed, and I appreciated that greatly. Quick violence, disturbing imagery, and flashes of a scuttling hell creature, which, shown in moderation, was a highly effective scare, do wonders to elevate the tension of this experience. Any film that has me yelling “NO” on multiple occasions is a success in my book. Be sure to catch “Z,” which is now streaming on Shudder.
