Trip is a 2022 American supernatural horror film about who takes a hallucinogenic drug to reconnect with her deceased daughter.
Written, co-produced and directed and edited by Neil McCay. Also produced by Jonny Blackburn, Gary Elmore and David Groves.
The 611-Films-Leadfeather Productions movie stars Akasha Villalobos, Major Dodge, Peggy Schott and Jill Young.
Plot:
Following her daughter’s suicide, a grief-stricken mother is visited by an unconventional therapist who offers a hallucinogenic drug that will allow communion with the dead.
Desperate to understand her daughter’s psyche she accepts the offer, and soon finds herself terrorized by her daughter’s identical experiences…
Our view:
Trip is pretty intense and grim as it deals with themes of loss and grief, alcoholism, drug addiction and being a recluse. The washed-out colour design is used to enhance the negative vibe but somehow feels unnecessary with the onscreen drama already being so heavy. On the other hand, the discordant audio soundscape works to add another layer of otherworldliness.
Kudos to the filmmakers for tackling mental illness issues and the actors for (mostly) conveying such real-life trauma amidst the horror angle but its threadbare budget is a constraint to some of Trip‘s effectiveness. It’s not an easy watch but is certainly a recommendation.
Adrian J Smith, MOVIES and MANIA
Other reviews:
“Directed and written by Neil McCay, Trip is a movie that realizes that if your budget is low, your ideas must go high. It’s the first full-length movie that he’s made and it really points to a strong future for his work.” B&S About Movies
“The only flaws are where the production values cannot hide the low budget. Things also start on the wrong foot, as we need to believe Villalobos is old enough to be Young’s mother […] These are minor quibbles, though, as Trip is the kind of triumph that makes indie horror worth hunting down. It is intriguing, unpredictable, and will scare the bunny hair off you.” 8.5/10 Film Threat
“This film is a bit of a slow burn, as it only has a few spooky scenes in the first two acts, but those scenes are mostly effective. Admittedly, they’re not super scary, but they’re creepy enough that I had a really good time watching them, and if you’re a fan of supernatural horror, I think you will too.” Horror Obsessive
“A very nice piece of somewhat slow-burn horror that manages to tell a very complex and well-structured story that makes up the suspension of disbelief that it demands with solid storytelling that doesn’t take shortcuts but works towards its shocks and manages to surprise plenty of times along the way. And a direction that finds the right balance between suspense and jump scares…” Search My Trash