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I have never been on the “dark web”. I didn’t even know how to get there. But if the latest found footage trend is to be believed, it’s rich with archived web series where things have gone horribly wrong. This is how we start mind body soul. After the invisible webuser does the searching and releases the content, we’re down the yoga influencer rabbit hole trying to find her brand. Instead, he discovers something else.
Anna recently inherited her grandmother’s house. Although she didn’t really know the woman, her mother kept her away from the matriarch, which seems like a good opportunity for the unruly Anna to start a new place. She spends everything she has to move to a new city and try to gain a following as an online yoga instructor. Things don’t get off to a great start, and when Anna discovers a secret door that leads to a secret pantry and eventually an even more secret attic, the course of her journey changes completely.
“The deeper Anna gets into the book, the more tense the film gets.”
Anna discovers her grandmother’s handwritten book, mostly in Russian, along with several translations, detailing a spiritual study that combines yoga-like body movements with herbal remedies and mystical rituals. The world of yoga influencers is fraught with issues of cultural appropriation, and Anna is trying to avoid it and find a way to connect with something more in line with her own background. She suggests that this book details customs that have been researched and informed by her own cultural heritage and is excited to authentically share them with the world. But books found in ritualistic circles surrounded by mysterious symbols and candles in hidden spaces are never just good old homeopathic manuals for holistic living, right horror fans??
Sometimes subtle, patient and attentive viewers are rewarded. As Anna gets deeper into the book, the film becomes more and more tense. I found myself searching every dark nook and cranny for the hidden face—waiting for fear to appear. Many of the more disturbing moments happen in the shadows or are captured only by reflections, which really builds the fear when the bigger reveal happens. And while it’s not exactly thrilling, the action is what one would expect from a haunted house story. Directors and co-writers Alex Hennessy and Matthew Merenda seem to know exactly where to build momentum and where to slow things down to build a story.
“While neither the story nor the approach is particularly unique, the way they come together feels fresh and terrifying.”
Sarah J. Bartholomew carries the story competently as Anna in what is essentially a one-woman show. We get a few moments where he makes video calls to his mom and a few visits from a high school friend who is now a popular online fitness personality to flesh out his world more fully, but mostly Bartholomew interacts with the camera. Another fun touch that helps things feel more authentic is the addition of YouTube-like ads during Anna’s videos. They look totally real if they pop any health and wellness video you might watch online.
Critically speaking, the camerawork stands out as a possibility. As the story is told from a single-camera-on-a-tripod POV, there are moments when we just can’t capture the movements we’re capturing. I imagine the unspoken explanation is that evil forces are also moving the camera, and sometimes it’s right, but other times it really hurts the rush you feel while watching. That said, while neither the story nor the approach is particularly unique, the way they come together is fresh and genuinely terrifying.
