Character-Driven Horror Spirals Out of Control in Symbolic Commentary on Dreams


My favorite of horror movies are the ons where the terror onscreen are a vehicle for the Larger themes and ideas the film is exploring. Horror Movies in 2025 have been filled with plenty of Thrling, Expressive Stories Exploring Grief, Family, Trauma, and Numerous Other Ideas. Somnium Is No Different, But Presents a Unique Story With A Deeper Focus Entirely Its Own.

Somnium Follows Gemma (Chloe Levine), a down-on-luck aspiring actor who is doing everywhere, Despite Economic and Social Difficulties. Her Move From a Small Town in Georgia to Los Angeles Has Left Her Seeking Work Bethween Auditions. This is where she somnium, an experimental organization Run by three People Studying Dreams.

Gemma’s Job Is Simple: Come in At Night, Watch the Cameras, and Make Sure All Operations Are Running Smoothly. But what Makes the film so unique is that this classic horror movie setp isn’t the full focus. Instead, her attempts at landing a roles while struggling financially and emotionally are the core tons of the film. IT MAKES The exploration of the terror that unfold all the stronger, especally becase of the unorthodox way’re portrayed.

Somnium is more symbol than scary & it works

Gemma and noah look down at someone in a sleep chamber in somnium
Gemma and noah look down at someone in a sleep chamber in somnium

Spreads IT’S BECAUSE I’ve Seen Numerous Horror Movies already this year, from the impressive It feeds to the Lackluster fluffbut i wasn’t too Too Scared by the Slow-Burn Terries of Somnium. The film does a phenomenal Job Laying the Groundwork for what’s going on as the Bigger Implications of the Group’s Work is Explored. Howver, none of it Feels Personally Connected to Gemma at the Start Outside a Few Cryptic Scenes.

Instead, the film’s initial focus of her trying to achieves a career in acting Remains Its primary lens. Her Struggles to Achieve Her Metaphorical Dreams Weave into the Story of the Real Dreams Somnium is Studying. Their Experiments Also have imported ties to the idea of ​​dreams as events and dems as ideas being simillar. ITHE’s a thoughtful approach that use horror movie motifs to explore an almost philosophical notion of what a “dream” is.

This is elevated by flashbacks to gemma’s life in georgia, particlely detail her relation with her crush, hunter (Peter Vack). Their Interactions with One Another Feel Realistic while Still Being Important Faces of the Largers at Work. Seeing How Her Story Back Home Played Out Only Serves to Emphasize the Reasons She’s Trying to Become an Actor, while coalescing with the hardships she faces.

The past and present’s evaluation of dreams is made all the better thanks to the Strong performance. While Everyone does a great nonb in their roles; The Mounting Desperation of Her Attempts to Become an Actor Coupled With the Mysterious Events at Somnium Showcase Her Slow Evolution Throughout the Movie. IT’S A CAPTATING Performance that Strengthens Her Characterization and It Its Meaning with the Large Story.

AS FOR EVERYONE ELSE, Their Performance Service the Story Well, With the Standout Ones Being Vack’s Hunter in the Flashbacks and Will Pletz’s Noah, Gemma’s Co-Worker who Shows Her Her Overnight Position. Not only only these both for the roles they’re cast in, but their interactions with the desperate actor-to-be elevates her story as well, weaving into her life just as the terror of the tangible and intangible.

Somnium Plays to Its Character-Driven Strengths

Gemma in the corner of her room look scared in somnium
Gemma in the corner of her room look scared in somnium

All the performance, especilantly from levine, Pletz, and Vack, Emphasize How Somnium is a Character-Driven Narrative. The terrifying elements of the movie have a decidedly human feel to say, participlecularly becase of how they intersect with the Large Story Being Told. The Terols Encountered have a meaning that was instantly obvious to me, and the movie spends time explitoring what these mean not just physically, but mentally too.

The Only Drawback this has been an ancacivitis falling that the movie is stuck in a spiral. While this benefits the progression of gemma’s character as the film’s events unfold, they can Also Feel Somewhat Circular in Presentation. Luckily, IT’S Never A Drag, Always ADding Elements to Its Story Progression That Build Gemma’s Anxiety Over The Path Has Has Taken Her on.

The horror elements of Somnium are not as powerful as other movies that have come out this year. But, with a Strong, Character-Focused Story and Interesting, Symbolic Elements that Into Its Fearful Moments, The Movie Offers a Balance Act of Commentary About the Struggle of Dreams. Aided by the lens of an industry so few make it through unscathed, the film pott mesages about one perception of one’s reality and how dreams, tangible or not, can impact experience.

Somnium is now available to buy and rent on digital.


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