It Lives Inside Had a Poor Third Act That Ruined the Potential of the Film

It Lives Inside is one of my biggest disappointments from 2023. The film was great, right until the third act. I remember feeling so down, because if it hadn’t been for that mistake, this film could have been memorable.

This film wasn’t perfect, but it could have been a movie I wouldn’t mind watching again. All because of the terrifying threat in the film.

This film was following the horror formula perfectly, until the freaking final act! Like seriously, a lot of horror fans were so angry that the filmmakers ruined that particular aspect that made the film stand out!

The horror formula follows three steps:

1. The threat makes itself known.

2. The characters find a way to take down the threat.

3. The characters experience the final confrontation against the threat.

It Lives Inside perfectly followed all three steps, and there was one single reason why this film could have been great!

The threat is never shown.

The monster is invisible, except for the shadow or the eyes you would spot in some scenes of the movie. Its presence made itself known to the character, and never revealing the monster was a genius move for the film.

Until the third act…

Again, this film wasn’t really for everyone. A lot of scenes were cliche when it came to the beast, but a lot of scenes were still so impactful; because we never see what this thing looks like.

Knowing that this thing was there lurking, was enough for viewers to feel the terror. Realizing that an invisible monster that craves human flesh was right beside you…is way too terrifying to imagine.

The filmmakers could have been known for their monster…but they ruined the potential by revealing what the beast looks like.

The fear I felt during the film was completely lost.

The film followed all the formula steps. We knew the threat was there. The main character was desperately trying to find a way to defeat the creature, and then she eventually battles the creature in the end to save her friend.

The third act was a cliche in its own way, but revealing the monster is what ruined the horror formula’s final step. I can’t imagine what this scene could have been.

If the filmmakers had focused on the main character trying to fight something she can’t see would have been so awesome to watch. Hearing the growls and its footsteps around her would have added to the terror.

Instead, we were given something that didn’t feel like it even belonged in the movie. We were given a battle royale…and it came out of nowhere.

The monster design was cool…but the fear I felt before was gone.

I was just watching the movie after that, wanting the scene to be over.

Then I was more disappointed because the ending was dreadful.

In order for the monster to be defeated, the girl had no choice but to have the monster use her as a vessel. She is now forced to eat meat, and her family and friends help her ‘tame the beast.’

The movie ends with the main character crying, giving in to her new existence.

This ending was perfection…but all the potential flew out the window once the monster’s form was revealed. One of my family members who had seen this film told me:

“That movie could have been great, but once the monster was revealed, all I thought was…oh.”

It Lives Inside was one of the few films that ruined the horror formula, all because of its one simple mistake.

Sometimes less is more, as the saying goes in the horror genre.

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Thank you for reading!

Emy Quinn