Pahanhautoja
Director: Hanna Bergholm
Writer: Hanna Bergholm, Ilja Rautsi
Cast: Siiri Solalinna, Sophia Heikkilä, Jani Volanen, Reino Nordin, Oiva Ollila, Ida Määttänen
Part of: SLASH 1/2 Filmfestival
Seen on: 7./8.5.2022

Plot:
Tinja (Siiri Solalinna) grows up in what seems to be the perfect family. Her mother (Sophia Heikkilä) is an influencer who very carefully curates the family’s image to keep up this image of perfection. Her father (Jani Volanen) is not that present, but plays along. And her little brother Matias (Oiva Ollila) always tries to get the better of Tinja. When Tinja finds an egg in the forst, she decides to hatch it. Only it keeps growing. And when Tinja, an aspiring gymnast, fails to meet her mother’s expectations, trouble seems inevitable.

Hatching gives us a great set-up and a really interesting central metaphor, but it doesn’t quite come togethere. With the idea, I feel like we could have dug a little deeper and discovered a little more. Maybe even a sense of humor. As is, it feels a little like it’s missing the final oomph.

Hatching really starts off very strongly. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the suburbanite perfection in gleaming white is palpable and extremely uncomfortable. The mother that respects no boundaries at all, and the father that is barely there. Tinja’s distress in the situation and her lack of options are made very clear.

And I also liked the central metaphor: that Tinja can only hatch a monster under these circumstances feels perfectly natural as she practically shoves everything that doesn’t fit with the perfect image into that egg. And ultimately, all that remains is monstrous or the monster itself.

Unforunately, after setting up this story, the film starts to have lengths and doesn’t quite manage to keep the tension all the way through. I also fell asleep for a little while (always a risk with late showings during a film festival), but it didn’t feel like I missed much.

Despite the really good monster, and the excellent idea, Hatching kind of fizzles out and leaves you thinking about how easily it could have become more than it was. And that is a pity.

Summarizing: even though it is a little disappointing, it is interesting enough to give it a go.