A body horror film in the weight loss world, Natalie Erika James’ Saccharine is a poignant and new approach to the genre that will leave viewers incredibly satisfied.
Set in Melbourne, the film follows Hana, an overweight med student who discovers that human ash can be used to create a powerful weight loss drug, and begins to secretly harvest tissue from a medical cadaver to use for the drug. However, she soon starts to be haunted by the ghost of her cadaver, and starts to mentally deteriorate while trying to put a stop to her haunting. Hana is played by Midori Francis, who is admittedly very good in the part, despite the somewhat confusing choice to cast a heavily accented American as a character who is supposedly Australian. That being said, no one can deny her ability, and her masterful portrayal of Hana’s neuroses and insecurities elevates the film to be something that sits above your standard horror fare.
The hilarious Danielle Macdonald portrays her best friend, Josie, and is sure to leave the audience in stitches with her incredible wit, which she also manages to balance terrifically with genuine concern for Hana’s deteriorating condition. Madeleine Madden, who viewers may be familiar with for her role in Amazon’s popular Wheel of Time series, portrays Hana’s love interest Alanya, and is very effective at portraying a more grounded and erotic character that clearly functions as the motivator for the protagonist’s weight loss madness.
The makeup and prosthetics work used in the construction of Bertha, the ghostly cadaver that haunts Hana, is nothing short of extraordinary, and its existence within such a low-budget production is nothing short of inspiring—a great testament to James’ strong directorial vision. Her film is precisely crafted to create a palpable atmosphere of dread, with detached and haunting cinematography, eerie and creepy sound design, and erratic and terrifying editing.
The film also sends a powerful and thoughtful message to those who may struggle with their weight and body image, reminding them that they need not lose themselves in pursuit of an ideal and that they are beautiful and well-rounded individuals just the way they are. All in all, Saccharine is a terrifying, exciting, and profound Australian horror outing, and will leave viewers with quite a lot to chew on.
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