Discovering an overlooked horror gem often feels like finding a diamond in the rough. Such is the case with Inhabitants, a film only on my radar thanks to the presence of up-and-comer Josh Rivera (West Side Story, American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez). The filming timeline seems unclear, but whatever the case, Rivera shines opposite his costar, Anna Jacoby-Heron (Finding Carter, Stranger Things). The duo make for a believable couple committing quite a scandalous sin: moving in together before wedlock! A carefully orchestrated dose of religious horror, Inhabitants presents a unique vision of atmospheric horror.
Olivia (Jacoby-Heron) and Francis (Rivera) have just moved into their new home together, and are ready to start building a life. Neither have particularly strong bonds with their families, but at least Francis has an overbearing mother that tries to push her religion on them every chance she gets. Olivia’s mother will not even respond to texts or calls. On a religious front, Olivia is very into new age talismans and charms, whilst Francis holds more traditionally Christian values. Despite this small difference, Olivia and Francis are adorable together as they hang out, trying to get acquainted with their new surroundings.
Without any friends in the area, the relationship between Olivia and Francis becomes more insular in nature. Their dynamic is sweet, with cute banter that allows their genuine struggles to feel realistic. Their juxtaposing spiritual beliefs and upbringings add depth to their conflicts beyond the supernatural. While the first act builds up the bonds between Olivia and Francis, the hook comes not long afterward. Strange occurrences begin to happen, mainly involving Francis and his questionable behaviors. He claims to see a spirit that frowns upon the couple’s sinful nature. The slow-building dread involving this ghostly specter makes the tension and sparing amount of jump scares all the more effective.
Rivera plays scared and unhinged impressively well. His performance by design has to be the showier of the two, and he seems more than up to the task. As the layers to what truly may be haunting the couple begin to unfurl, so too does Francis’s grip on sanity. The choices the characters make feel halfway intelligent, side-stepping traditional tropes. That said, there are of course plenty of cliches to be found as well. That classic ghost writing on the wall, or the need to confront the horrors with a religious solution are obvious. However, Inhabitants mostly manages to subvert these tropes in interesting ways. Once we get into an explanation of the backstory, the eerie nature adds an extra layer of subtext to recontextualize why Francis has been targeted.
Inhabitants is ultimately a well-crafted horror drama that stands out for strong character work and bold scares. It smartly uses supernatural horror in exploring religious trauma and repression, making it more engaging than expected. Thanks to Rivera and Jacoby-Heron, the performances are also solid. Some of the haunting imagery held within left me shaken. Despite a slow start and a few familiar elements, Inhabitants delivers a satisfying and unsettling experience.
Repent for your sins, lest you suffer the wrath of the Inhabitants, creeping towards limited release theaters and Video On Demand on Valentine’s Day.
