[BHFF Review] Ego (2021)
Alfonso Cortés-Cavanillas’ Ego is a psychological horror movie set during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Paloma (María Pedraza) deals with severe mental health issues, so she passes her time on a dating app. While browsing, she finds an unusual discovery, who looks exactly like her. Out of curiosity, Paloma matches with this mysterious woman named Goliadkin (also played by Pedraza) and speaks to her regularly and begins a deep connection with her. After a while, strange things start to happen to Paloma when she realises that the person behind the camera has an ulterior motive. They want to steal her identity and life. Presented at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, this movie takes on the challenge of bringing a new perspective on pandemic related horror movies.
Ego is a thrilling movie that exceeds a lot of expectations considering that it is a pandemic movie. Because of some countries being under strict lockdown, there are so many creative ways to craft a film that brings a fresh take on this newfound genre. They heighten all of the stakes in this movie, as Cortés-Cavanillas introduces the negative effects of mental health during the pandemic, as well as using space as an element of horror.
María Pedraza as Paloma. Image courtesy of Brooklyn Horror Film Festival.
One aspect that brings the reality of pandemic movies is the negative impact that it has on people’s mental health. With Paloma, she sees her therapist through video calls and talks to her friend Jorge (Pol Monen) regularly. Her mother worries about her daughter’s wellbeing and gets worried when Paloma acts strangely after her interactions with Goliadkin. Given that Paloma is already struggling with mental health issues and suicidal tendencies, it talks about the layers of how the pandemic has affected many people. With the addition of being isolated in a space for too long, it can make it even more difficult. Cortés-Cavanillas takes this element and crafts an astonishing horror film.
Ego is innovative with its story and horror. It is clear on the narrative and terror that it wants the audience to experience. With demonic reflections that try to grab Paloma and strangers that take over the lives of her family, she cannot figure out what is real and fake. It creates a gravitating push to magnify the horror elements and dreadful suspense that fills the movie until the very end.
Pedraza does an incredible job playing two different roles. As Paloma, she shows the emotional side of her where she bursts into fits of rage and panic when it is revealed that the doppelgänger might take over. As Goliadkin, she expresses the menacing and serious stranger that terrorises her life. It is tricky to play two separate roles in one movie, but Pedraza takes on the challenge and shows her versatile talent and performance on screen.
Cortés-Cavanillas’ Ego takes the meaner and edgier elements of the pandemic, loneliness, and isolation and turns it into a horrific hell during quarantine. It’s a brilliant addition to the horror genre, and also the slate of pandemic movies that is slowly becoming quite popular. It has interesting ideas and introduces a doppelgänger as a way of amplifying the psychological and horror aspects thoroughly. Cortés-Cavanillas uses camera techniques to tell a spooky tale while introducing a calmer motion and then leads into a chaotic frenzy at the end.
