It’s What’s Inside (2024) review – A Neon-Soaked Sci-Fi Comedy That Ties Itself In Knots

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we will be checking out Greg Jardin’s It’s What’s Inside. This movie released at the beginning of October on Netflix so you should be able to check it out there right now.

Starts off so strong

This movie follows a group of friends meeting up to celebrate an impending wedding. An old friend that the group haven’t seen in years has been invited but nobody is sure whether he will turn up. When he does, the group are surprised, not only by him accepting the invitation but also by the mysterious suitcase he brings. A suitcase which contains a game which will make this a night the friends will remember forever.

“It’s What’s Inside is a poppy, neon, visual feast of a movie… Jardin pairs it up with a stylish presentation that is somewhere between film noir, nightclub chic, and video-game vibes.”

It’s What’s Inside is a poppy, neon, visual feast of a movie. Starting off with bickering couple Shelby (Brittany O’Grady) and Cyrus (James Morosini). It is clear, right away, that this is a horror with a fiendish sense of humour. A humour that doesn’t let up and provides a strong focus in the early part of the movie.

Jardin pairs it up with a stylish presentation that is somewhere between film noir, night club chic, comic-book cool and video-game vibes. Black-and-white stills offer layers of exposition to fill us in on the group’s friendship dynamic, while pinks, reds and blues bleed through the animated smoke enveloping the room. It is made apparent, early on, that this is a film keen to play around with the concepts of colour and identity.

For the most part, it really works. In fact, it is fair to say that there really aren’t a lot of movies that look and feel quite like It’s What’s Inside. The aesthetics are fantastic and the keen focus on making the viewer laugh pulls them into the centre of the friendship group. For the first half an hour or so, this is a movie that is light and easy to enjoy. Naturally, there are complex dynamics at play here, as with any collection of people who call themselves friends. But it isn’t until the estranged Forbes (David Thompson) arrives that the dynamics are challenged.

An interesting concept

I don’t want to spoil anything here as the game the friends play is sort of key to the plot. Spoiling it would remove some of the surprise. It goes without saying, however, that the idea is a very original one. I haven’t seen anything quite like it before and, for the most part, it works well. Early parts of the movie feel refreshing and the concept at play works pretty well to keep things interesting. It isn’t until the halfway point that things started to fall apart a little bit, in my opinion.

It becomes apparent, pretty quickly, that the idea here wouldn’t be anywhere near as appealing as the characters are making it out to be. In movies like Talk to Me, the kids all want to try talking to the dead because it is exhilarating. That just isn’t the case here; it is an idea with limited appeal. The participants in the game don’t benefit in any major way and it is difficult to see why they would enjoy doing it so much and want to keep engaging with it. It is clear, early on, that this is purely a tool to facilitate some fairly unique thriller ideas.

A bit ridiculous in parts

The thrills really take a long time to come. In fact, we have nearly an hour of preamble before anything of note happens. While it can be tough to see what direction the movie is going to go in, a lot of that is down to the fact that it doesn’t make an enormous amount of sense.

“It’s a very original concept, funny, interesting and stylish as hell. Acting is great and the movie feels unique among an orgy of all too similar thrillers.”

That is something that It’s What’s Inside engages in heavily throughout. Not a lot of what happens, in general, makes sense. The characters’ reactions don’t make sense. None of the motivations make sense and the idea is very, very loosely put together.

It becomes clear that this is a movie that might tie itself in knots and it absolutely does. In just trying to push forward through the fairly loosely formulated idea it wraps itself up more and more. It may take viewers a lot of concentration to follow the plot and it can feel very messy at times. I couldn’t escape the thought that much of what happens just doesn’t work.

The horror sometimes fails

A lot of what takes place here really doesn’t make for decent horror content. Something that has me wondering why I have seen this movie recommend so frequently by genre fans. My fiancée described it as a “horny sci-fi comedy” movie and that’s probably the most accurate way to put it. It’s not all that thrilling and the silliness of the story really robs from the tension.

The ending is beyond farcical, as well. Jardin attempts to bring everything together and tie it up with a neat bow but it really doesn’t work. Numerous parts of the last thirty minutes will have you questioning the characters’ actions.

“It’s What’s Inside is a poppy, neon, visual feast of a movie… Jardin pairs it up with a stylish presentation that is somewhere between film noir, nightclub chic, and video-game vibes.”

Little of it makes sense and the final scene makes even less sense than that, taking a character with a fairly simple issue and having them blow it up and overreact to a level that would be considered ridiculous by even the most histrionic of people.

Still very watchable

With all of that being said, there is still a lot to like about It’s What’s Inside. Pushing aside some of the silliness of the plot, the comedy elements are very enjoyable, the character interactions are fun, and the movie is incredibly stylish. Cinematography is a joy to behold and the score is both unique and creative. The script has some high points and special praise has to go to the variety of interesting locations.

It’s enjoyable for much of its length and feels very unique. The idea behind the game will really be appealing to some. I just couldn’t see the point in it or why the characters would be all that interested in engaging with it. Still, I can’t say I have seen too many movies like this before. Acting is solid throughout with nobody feeling like a weak link. A lot of heavy lifting is needed by the actors, considering the theme, and everyone does a really nice job.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

Support the Site Knockout Horror is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Basically, if you click a link to rent or buy a movie, we may earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep the lights on and the nightmares coming. Don't worry, we will never recommend a movie purely to generate clicks. If it's bad, we will tell you.

Disclaimer: Images, posters, and video stills used in this review are the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included here for the purposes of commentary, criticism, and review under fair use. Knockout Horror makes no claim of ownership and encourages readers to support the official release of all films discussed.