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Bloat (film)

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Bloat
Official release poster
Directed byPablo Absento
Written byPablo Absento
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDenis Saprykin
Edited by
  • Aleksandr Kletsov
  • Ilya Zevakin
Music byFedor Pereverzeb
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • March 7, 2025 (2025-03-07)
Running time
86 minutes
Countries
  • France
  • United States
  • Japan
LanguagesEnglish
Japanese

Bloat is a 2025 screenlife horror film written and directed by Pablo Absento in his film directorial debut.[1][2] It stars Ben McKenzie, Bojana Novakovic, Sawyer Jones, Malcolm Fuller and Kane Kosugi.[3] The film is about a family of four vacationing in Japan when they feel something is wrong with the youngest son, after he almost drowns in a lake.[4][5][6]

Plot

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The film opens with home video footage of Hannah giving birth to a stillborn daughter, Ava. This tragic event casts a lingering shadow over the family, comprising Hannah, her husband Jack, and their two sons, Steve and Kyle. In an attempt to heal, Jack plans a family vacation to Japan. However, escalating military tensions in the Middle East force Jack, a NATO AI operator, to remain at his post, leaving Hannah and the boys to proceed with the trip alone.

Upon arriving in Japan, Hannah and her sons settle into an Airbnb in Tokyo. During an excursion to a remote mountain town, Kyle nearly drowns in a lake but is saved by a family friend, Iriko, a nurse. This incident marks the beginning of unsettling changes in Kyle's behavior.

Post-accident, Kyle exhibits bizarre behaviors: an obsession with cucumbers, aggression towards his brother Steve, and episodes of vomiting green bile. Hannah attributes these changes to trauma, but Jack, monitoring the situation remotely through video calls and messages, suspects a supernatural cause. His research leads him to the legend of the Kappa, a Japanese water spirit known for possessing children.

As Kyle's condition worsens, Jack enlists the help of his friend Ryan to investigate the Kappa legend further. Meanwhile, Hannah struggles with her own mental health, exacerbated by prescription drug use. In a video call Ryan spots and tries to shoot the kappa and after he fires the gun he is attacked by it. The family's situation deteriorates, culminating in a violent incident where Kyle bites Steve, prompting Jack to take decisive action.

Jack goes to Japan, confronting the possessed Kyle in a desperate attempt to save his son. He finds his wife dead and he sets the Airbnb house on fire to save his son. At the end of the film Jack is on trial and the lawyer ask his two sons, Steve and Kyle if Jack is a good father, the two kids gave a positive statement about their father.

Cast

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  • Ben McKenzie as Jack[7]
  • Bojana Novakovic as Hannah[7]
  • Sawyer Jones as Kyle
  • Malcolm Fuller as Steve
  • Kane Kosugi as Ryan
  • Ethan Herschenfeld as Judge Richard Resnick
  • Asha Etchison as Reporter
  • David Gibson as Jack's Father
  • Rebecca Nelson as Jack's Mother
  • James Adam Lim as Police Officer #2
  • Miyu Yokota as Sakura
  • David Lavine as Forensic Expert
  • Larry Bull as Defense Attorney
  • Jeff Applegate as Col. William Bradley
  • Akiyo Komatsu as Officer Ikeda
  • Zack Niizato as Doctor

Production

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Pulsar Content and XYZ Films teamed up to handle sales on Bloat. The film is an international co-production between Bazelevs Company and Flag Co. Ltd.[8][9]

Written and directed by Pablo Absento, filming began in New York City and wrapped in Tokyo in October. The post-production was completed in mid 2023. The film marks the second collaboration of Bazelevs Company and Pulsar Content.[8]

Release

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The film was released in theaters and VOD on March 7, 2025,[10] under Lionsgate.[11][12][13]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 29% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.0/10.[14] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 40 out of 100, based on four critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[15]

Nathaniel Muir of AIPT gave the film a negative feedback and he wrote; A straightforward telling would have provided more tension while an increased focus on characters would have given audiences something to care about. By the time the final credits have rolled, Bloat has failed to leave any sort of impression.[16]

Hannah Rose of CBR gave the film a rating of 5 over 10 and she said; Bloat could have been a showstopper and an instant classic. As it is, the screenlife presentation waterlogs this otherwise good story.[17] giving a 1 and half star Marya E. Gates of RogerEbert.com wrote; Despite a fiery penultimate scene, Absento’s film ends with a courtroom whimper.[18]

References

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  1. ^ McAndrews, Mary Beth (February 25, 2025). "'Bloat' Exclusive Clip Reveals There's Something In The Water…". Dread Central. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  2. ^ Billington, Alex (January 23, 2025). "Freaky Trailer for Screen Story Possession Horror 'Bloat' Set in Japan". firstshowing.net. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  3. ^ "Bloat – Ben McKenzie and Bojana Novakovic face a demon in the trailer for the new horror movie". Live For Films. January 26, 2025. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  4. ^ "BLOAT". Upcoming Horror Movies. 8 January 2025. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  5. ^ Batham, Anurag (February 13, 2025). "Bloat: Everything we know about the upcoming horror thriller film starring Ben McKenzie". soapcentral.com. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  6. ^ Morazzini, Jim (January 23, 2025). "Lionsgate Drops Poster and Trailer For Screenlife Horror Film "Bloat"". Voices From The Balcony. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Hamman, Cody (February 11, 2022). "Bloat: Ben McKenzie, Bojana Novakovic star in Japanese horror film". JoBlo.com. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  8. ^ a b Keslassy, Elsa (October 28, 2022). "Pulsar Content, XYZ Films Board Japanese Horror Film 'Bloat' From 'Searching' Producer Timur Bekmambetov (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  9. ^ McNeely, Kelli Marchman (January 25, 2025). "From the Producer of Searching Comes the Horror Film 'Bloat'". Horror Fuel. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  10. ^ Rawles, Timothy (January 23, 2025). "From Producer of 'Unfriended' and 'Searching' New Screen Life Horror 'Bloat' On VOD March 7". iHorror. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  11. ^ DiVincenzo, Alex (January 23, 2025). "'Bloat' Trailer – Screenlife Horror Starring Ben McKenzie Will Possess Viewers in March". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  12. ^ "Bloat (2025)". IGN. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  13. ^ Navarro, Maegan (January 2, 2025). "'Bloat' – Eerie Screenlife J-Horror Movie Gets Official "R" Rating". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  14. ^ "Bloat (2025) RT". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  15. ^ "Bloat (2025)". Metacritic. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  16. ^ Muir, Nathaniel (March 5, 2025). "'Bloat' review: Screenlife creature feature leaves no impression". AIPT. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  17. ^ Rose, Hannah (March 4, 2025). "Bloat Review: 1 Major Thing Holds This New Horror Movie Back". CBR. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  18. ^ Gates, Marya E. (March 7, 2025). "reviews Bloat". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
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