Enter The Fogged Apocalypse With Terror Films' New Sci-Fi Horror “CORA”
Blending Horror and science fiction isn’t an easy thing to pull off. Movies like this focus on a solitary protagonist often experiencing terrifying loneliness and psychological unraveling that comes with isolation in a vast, often hostile environment. These movies delve into the primal fear of being utterly alone in a world with little to no life in it. A place where a main character’s survival depends solely on their wits and resilience to stay alive or find a successful conclusion. The eerie silence, vast emptiness, and the ever-present threat of unseen dangers in these movies often amplify the tension, creating an atmosphere of relentless suspense. These hybrid horror narratives often blur the lines between reality and things to come, making the main character’s journey as much a battle against their inner demons as it is against external threats a dystopian world can bring.
Recently we here at Macabre Daily grabbed some gear, made sure our air filters were equipped to our masks, and journeyed out into the Terror Films Releasing's latest sci-fi apocalyptic horror movie "Cora”. This movie is directed by Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wicklund. It stars Felicia Rylander, Andreas Rylander, Patrick Saxe, and Thomas Lennon. The synopsis for this movie is as follows:
“After a deadly mist has wiped out most of humanity, a mysterious organization is trying to save what's left of humankind.
From the start, "Cora" makes it clear that its primary goal is to captivate the audience with its visual presentation more than elements of horror. It truly excels in its cinematography. The use of fog as a visual motif is not only aesthetically pleasing but also serves to enhance the film's apocalyptic atmosphere is masterfully handled here. It is done so by each framed shot perfectly structured by directors Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wicklund.
The way the lack of light surrounds the scenery with the mist creates an almost perfect way a dead world should look. It is so great in the way it adds a layer of visual poetry to the film that is rarely seen in the horror genre. Each frame is carefully composed, with a strong emphasis on creating a mood rather than advancing the plot. This artistic approach to cinematography is reminiscent of classic horror films, where the setting and atmosphere are just as important as the characters and story.
The limited color palette of "Cora" is also worth noting. The film is dominated by muted tones, with the absence of any bright colors (unless they are inside Cora’s living environment at the beginning of the movie) that stand out with its monochromatic backdrop. This use of color, combined with the foggy cinematography, creates a visual style that is both unique and striking, setting "Cora" apart from other films in the genre.
The directors of the movie (Latina & Wicklund) have combined their talents by creating a sense of visual mystery that persists throughout the entire film. They focused on framing and dark filtered moments with such attention to detail, that it highlights our main character Cora nicely as she tries to find out the truth behind what has happened to her employers. The play of light and shadow within this mist gives the movie an almost otherworldly quality, enhancing its apocalyptic setting and imbuing it with a surreal atmosphere that is both haunting and beautiful. Visually it is somewhat of a masterpiece that is presented to you for the movie’s entire runtime.
However, this visually stunning cinematography and directing comes at a cost. The narrative, while serviceable and easy to follow, often takes a backseat to the movie’s stylistic ambitions to showcase its brand of sci-fi horror. Because of this, it feels more like a series of video game levels than a horror movie that you want to pop some popcorn and dim the lights to. This approach, while innovative, ultimately detracts from the film's overall impact as it creates a disjointed viewing experience. Although each scene is meticulously crafted to visually draw the viewer in, it doesn’t have a cohesive story with a clear arc and emotional depth that makes you want to be on the edge of your seat while you watch it. Without the structured story in this movie being enjoyable, it fails to keep the audience completely invested in Cora’s journey for answers.
The plot, which revolves around the titular character, Cora (played by Felicia Rylander), and her journey through a post-apocalyptic world, lacks the needed complexity of story and nuance needed to fully engage the audience on a level that wants to see her journey to the end. While the acting by Felicia Rylander is superbly done by carrying the majority of this movie by herself, it doesn’t seem to be as structured as it needs to be. A lot is going on with the story and it quickly changes pace multiple times by adding a few different subplots trying to lead you to one giant conclusion that might leave you scratching your head in confusion. There’s some tension ebbs and flows, with moments of intense action when Cora must face some unknown survivors of the dead world, followed by more introspective scenes revolving around her interactions with an AI program she spends most of her time talking to. While this can work well in some movies outside of the horror genre, it often results in a stop-and-start rhythm that can be jarring for horror fans to want to sit through. The action sequences, though well-executed and thrilling, feel isolated from the rest of the narrative by coming out of nowhere. It is as if they were challenges for Cora to overcome, rather than integral parts of the story.
The story seems to keep its head above water just barely with the cast and crew’s hard work, led by our star of the movie. Felicia Rylander brings a stoic determination to her role as Cora. She is driven and hardworking, but curious as to why she is constantly alone working for a silent company. Felicia is great to watch on screen as she uses a range of calm, terrified, and angry moments by being a champion of talent. She works with what she has, but sadly character's emotional journey is largely underdeveloped by the stories less than solid story. The story makes it difficult for the audience to fully invest in her plight and understand the true nature of her loneliness or need to live a less secluded life. Lennon's character, though providing some necessary exposition toward the final act of the movie, also suffers from a lack of depth with the character’s need to be in the story, leaving the audience with little to latch onto beyond his surface-level charm.
Even though he is one of the top-billed actors, he sadly is only in this movie for a couple of minutes. Lennon has always been an amazingly superb powerhouse when it comes to his career as an actor. He has set the standard for comedy for many years in Hollywood with his comedic roles in “Reno 911” and a variety of other movies. It is commending for him to go out and do more things outside the world of comedy movies (which he should, he is incredible) but this role seemed to not show the full capability of his talent by not being a lead character.
This is a horror film that will likely divide audiences within the fandom. Some horror fans like to lean more towards the sci-fi elements over horror, while others are more focused on the horror aspect in those sub-genres. Those who appreciate stunning visuals and atmospheric filmmaking will find much to admire in its fog-drenched landscapes and artistic cinematography. However, viewers who crave a strong narrative and well-developed characters may find themselves disappointed by the film's episodic structure and lack of emotional depth.
In the end, "Cora" is a film that plays more like a video game level than a traditional movie, and if that is what you are looking for then you may be satisfied with your viewing experience. It is a visually stunning experience, but one that sacrifices too much of the storytelling in favor of style. For fans of apocalyptic horror and experimental filmmaking, "Cora" offers a unique, if somewhat flawed, cinematic experience that is worth watching for its artistic merits alone.
“Cora” from Terror Films Releasing will premiere across multiple platforms on September 27th including Apple TV, Amazon, Tubi TV, Chilling, and many more. For all things horror movies, horror news, and things that go bump in the night, stay tuned to Macabre Daily for your go-to source of the terrifying trends all horror fans love.
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