Found-footage horror film hidden on Netflix is so ‘traumatising’ people are struggling to finish it
There's thousands of films on Netflix for subscribers to enjoy - but there are also a handful of hidden gems which can have a much different effect on viewers.
I'm not talking about a movie with a profound underlying message or a rom-com with an ending which will leave you reaching for the Kleenex, but rather a flick which will frighten the absolute life out of you.
So if you're in need of a week of sleepless nights, why not tune into this horror film told through found-footage which a lot of movie fans haven't even been able to finish?
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It landed on Netflix back in 2022 to rave reviews shortly after it was first released in Taiwan, but although it was one of the most-streamed flicks on the platform, it also left a lot of people feeling uneasy.
With the filming style giving off the same vibes as The Blair Witch Project, viewers were hooked from the moment the opening credits of the one hour and 51 minute movie finished rolling.
The film in question? It's called Incantation and you can watch the trailer below - but beware, as even that has more than enough nightmare-material to go around.
Maybe that short trailer gave you a hint as to why Incantation became the highest-grossing Taiwanese horror film ever made as well as ruling the roost at the box office of 2022 - making the movie's $1 million budget back almost six times over.
The Netflix synopsis for Incantation explains: "Six years ago, Li Ronan was cursed after breaking a religious taboo. Now, she must protect her daughter from the consequences of her actions."
Long story short, actor Tsai Hsuan-yen, 36, takes on the role of the young mum Li Ronan who was involved in the tampering of an ancestral deity with her boyfriend Dom and his cousin Yuan.
This mistake ends up haunting her big time and she ends up giving her baby up for a brief period while seeking psychiatric help to come to terms with what happened to her.
She is later reunited with her daughter Dodo (Huang Sin-ting) though and is getting her life back on track... or so she thought.
Li Ronan faces the fight of her life to protect the tot from the evil spirits which will not give her a break - and seen as though Incantation is based on 'true events', you can understand why viewers are so spooked.
On top of that, there's a head-spinning plot twist too - which those who have been brave enough to watch it say made them quickly lunge for the remote to turn their TV off.
One social media said: "I could barely even finish it bro."
Another wrote: "It's probably gonna be living in my head rent free for weeks. Easily one of the creepiest found-footage movies I’ve seen."
A third added: "This movie was truly a trip. Creepy as hell, maddening at times, confusing at times, and just unexpected. I loved it! Highly recommend if you love a good supernatural tale."
A fourth commented: "Don’t watch Incantation on Netflix. That s**t so crazy I had to turn it off 30 mins in. I believe that movie is cursed."
For movie buffs who like to do a bit of extra reading, here's some information about the 'true events' which this film is based upon.
Incantation, directed by Kevin Ko, was inspired by an incident which took place in Taiwan's Gushan District in 2005.
A family of six claimed they had been possessed by deities from Chinese folk religion and accused each other of being demons - seeing the brood brutally attack one another in the hopes of beating the 'demons' out of them.
The eldest daughter was targeted in particular and eventually ended up passing away from her injuries.
The fiver survivors were later charged with 'abandoning a helpless person, resulting in the person's death' and the case was regarded as 'mass hysteria' rather than a paranormal explanation being provided.
Ko said last year that there was an Incantation sequel in the works which would focus on how the survivors of the first film are getting on - so do us all a favour and go and give it a whirl on Netflix now.
Topics: Netflix, TV and Film, Horror
Olivia Burke