My quick rating – 5.5/10. Baghead is one of those films that makes you double-check your basement before going to bed, or at least rethink inheriting any mysterious property from estranged relatives. This chilling little slice of atmospheric European horror follows Iris (Freya Allan), who finds herself the reluctant owner of a rundown pub in Berlin after her father dies. Most people inherit photo albums or maybe a watch. Iris gets a creepy tavern with a creature in the cellar. Lucky her.
Allan, who was a new face to me (I somehow dodged The Witcher), handles herself admirably here. She grounds the story with just enough vulnerability and stubbornness to make her a believable “I should leave but absolutely won’t” horror protagonist. As Iris starts poking around her inherited money pit, she discovers the pub isn’t just old — it’s cursed. Hidden beneath it is Baghead, an entity capable of transforming into deceased loved ones for a brief period of time. Essentially, it’s grief counseling… but with far higher stakes.
Naturally, once other people find out about this supernatural FaceTime feature, moral lines start blurring faster than you can say “this is a terrible idea.” If there’s one universal law in horror, it’s that if a monster has any utility, someone will find a way to monetize it. And surprise — it doesn’t go well.
Where Baghead excels is in its atmosphere. The sound design and dim, grime-slick cinematography work overtime to create a lingering sense of dread. The basement scenes in particular are deliciously tense — the kind of sequences where you don’t realize you’ve been holding your breath until the cut to daylight. The mystery surrounding the entity and Iris’s inheritance unfolds at a deliberate pace, drawing you in with enough intrigue to keep your curiosity stoked.
But that slow-burn approach is also its double-edged sword. The middle act drags its feet like a zombie in ankle weights. There are stretches where the tension dips and scenes run just a little longer than they should, testing patience instead of nerves. It never fully derails, but you do start wishing someone would pick up the narrative pace, or at least turn on another light.
Still, even with its pacing stumbles, Baghead is a compelling watch. It’s eerie, moody, and just original enough to stand apart from your standard “mysterious-entity-in-the-floorboards” fare. With a bit more tightening and maybe one or two more truly standout scares, it could’ve clawed its way into elite horror territory. As it stands, it’s a solidly spooky experience that horror fans will appreciate — even if it doesn’t haunt you for days afterward.
Just don’t go inheriting pubs. Nothing good ever lives in the basement.
