★ 2 / 10
Adore was the only good thing about this movie
TheMovieSearch
Hag is a 2025 thriller that leans far more into psychological unease than outright horror, grounding its tension in character dynamics rather than spectacle.…
Hag is a 2025 thriller that leans far more into psychological unease than outright horror, grounding its tension in character dynamics rather than spectacle. The film centers on a gay man coping with the recent loss of his boyfriend who decides to take in a roommate, a seemingly harmless choice that slowly unravels into something far more disturbing. What initially feels like a quiet grief-driven drama steadily mutates into a claustrophobic character study, with the threat coming not from the supernatural, but from proximity, memory, and unresolved emotional trauma.Without spoiling the film's twists, the roommate reveal is where Hag finds its central hook. The woman who moves in is someone from the protagonist's distant past, and the film smartly uses that shared history to blur the line between nostalgia and danger. There's a genuine sense of discomfort in watching old familiarity become weaponized, and the concept itself has strong psychological thriller bones. Unfortunately, while the idea is solid, the execution struggles to fully capitalize on that tension.Adore Delano is easily the most compelling presence in the film. Her performance brings unpredictability, confidence, and an unsettling charisma that keeps scenes alive even when the script falters. She commits fully to the role, delivering moments that feel lived-in rather than rehearsed, and her musical elements add a strange, almost hypnotic texture to the film. Regardless of how viewers interpret the character's gender presentation, Delano's work stands out as the most memorable and effective component of the movie.The central performance by the film's lead, Rowan-also referred to as Ryan within the story-is where Hag begins to lose its footing. The acting feels exaggerated and overly stylized, often pulling attention away from the narrative rather than grounding it. Line delivery and mannerisms frequently feel performative instead of natural, making it difficult to emotionally invest in the character's grief or fear. Rather than feeling like a real person unraveling, the performance often reads as an amplified stereotype, which undercuts the film's emotional stakes.From a technical standpoint, the screenplay and direction show flashes of promise but lack consistency. The pacing wavers, tonal shifts are sometimes abrupt, and scenes that should feel suffocating instead come across as underdeveloped. There's a stronger film hiding beneath the surface, one that could have thrived with tighter dialogue, clearer character motivation, and more confident direction. The atmosphere is present, but it's never fully sharpened.Ultimately, Hag is a film with a strong premise and one standout performance that never quite reaches its full potential. Adore Delano brings something genuinely distinctive to the project, preventing it from being a total misfire, but miscasting and uneven execution hold it back from becoming the effective psychological thriller it wants to be. It's not without merit, but it feels like a missed opportunity-one that might have landed far more effectively with different creative choices at its core.
★ 5 / 10
It was actually a fair movie...
paul_m_haakonsen
Needless to say that I was not familiar with this 2025 psychological thriller titled "Hag", from writer and director Sam Wineman, prior to stumbling upon it by…
Needless to say that I was not familiar with this 2025 psychological thriller titled "Hag", from writer and director Sam Wineman, prior to stumbling upon it by random chance. And since it was a movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I opted to give the movie a fair chance.While the storyline was pretty generic and predictable, I have to say that it actually proved to be a fair enough viewing experience. I found it to be somewhat enjoyable, but it wasn't as if writer Sam Wineman revolutionized the psychological thriller genre in any way here.I was actually not familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list. Not that it was a bad thing, since I do enjoy watching new and unfamiliar talents on the screen. It should be noted that the acting performances in the movie were good."Hag" was a fair enough movie and watchable enough for what it was, though it doesn't have the layers to the storyline to support more than a single viewing.My rating of writer and director Sam Wineman's 2025 movie "Hag" lands on a five out of ten stars.
★ 6 / 10
Ridiculous, Thoroughly Enjoyable Trash
hampersnow-41369
There is no way Hag can be taken seriously and I don't believe the people who created this expected it to be. What Hag is, is a totally unbelievable movie…
There is no way Hag can be taken seriously and I don't believe the people who created this expected it to be. What Hag is, is a totally unbelievable movie about Mag and Jane de Wet is exceptional as Mag, the type of nutjob who only exists in movies. At times this movie doesn't quite make sense, but I didn't care because I was laughing and entertained. Across the board the characters in this are unlikable city folk, not well acted, except for Mag of course, and I couldn't help but root for Mag once I realized there wasn't anyone else to root for. They need to make a sequel to this. Don't even think of taking this seriously, Hag is preposterous and enjoyable from beginning to end.
80%
AUDIENCE
4.7/10
313
•••
This is a truly abysmal film. I managed half of it. It's like a bastard child of Life Is Strange (game) meets Glee meets Fatal Attraction. Avoid.