Appendage is a film written and directed by Anna Zlokovic. It builds upon the short film of the same name. The film stars Hadley Robinson, Emily Hampshire, Brandon Mychal Smith, Kausar Mohammed.
The film follows Hannah, a fashion designer who struggles with overwhelming self-doubt and stress, leading to physical problems. As her health declines, she begins developing a growth (the “Appendage”) on her stomach. The Appendage ultimately releases itself from her body, fueling itself on Hannah’s downfall. It finds ways to hurt Hannah mentally and physically, ruining her relationships with her loved ones and further ruining her self-esteem.
Hannah becomes desperate to find a solution to rid herself of her Appendage. She eventually ties it and traps it in her basement, but when she reaches out for help from her boyfriend, he shrugs it off, worrying that Hannah’s mental health has led to delusions. Desperate, Hannah discovers a group of people who are dealing Appendages of their own.
The film is a mix of comedy and body horror, while simultaneously delving into deeper issues of mental health. However, I feel like neither were balanced, making it hard to grasp what emotions the director wanted you to feel. It featured impressive practical effects, with the Appendage being a goofy and creepy creature. I also feel like most of the characters felt one-dimensional. Despite these flaws, the film was still enjoyable.
I would give Appendage a 3.75/5.
