Movie Review: 'Surrogate' is Deeply Derivative

Surrogate (2022)

Directed by David Willing

Written by Beth King, David Willing

Starring Kestie Morassi, Jane Badler

Release Date September 2nd, 2022

Surrogate is a movie with good ideas that comes up just a little short in execution. The film stars Kestie Morassie as Natalie Paxton, a nurse with a beautiful young daughter and a mostly happy life. That life gets upended when, while working far from home to pick up some extra money, she's assaulted by a deeply disturbed and ill woman. While attempting to save this woman's life, Natalie becomes infected by whatever this woman has been infected with. Is it a demon? Is it some kind of alien? It's unclear initially.

Soon after arriving home, Natalie becomes violently ill. Upon waking up, she finds herself covered in blood from the waste down. She goes to the hospital and is told that she has recently given birth. This isn't possible given the state of Natalie's personal life but the doctor and an investigator named Lauren Balmer (Jane Badler) from child and family services, do not believe her. Balmer wants to know what Natalie did with her non-existent baby and she will be most ineffectual for the rest of the movie.

Back at home, Natalie and her daughter are now being menaced by whatever entity that Natalie unwittingly gave birth to. This unseen monster appears intent on killing Natalie's daughter, Rose (Tayshia Farrugia). Even trying to move to the home of Natalie's mother can't help them escape from this frightening, demonic presence. Where the film goes from there is unfortunately far to reminiscent of a dozen other similar horror movies, such as The Ring or The Grudge.

I do want to highlight one really terrific performance in Surrogate. Young actress Ellie Stewart plays Ava, a child and psychic medium who senses what is happening to Natalie. With her grandfather, Ellie comes to Natalie's home to try and help make contact with the evil entity. It's a terrific scene and Stewart is a confident young star who holds the center of the scene exceptionally well. It's a shame that her role gets short shrift, the idea of a child who plays a role similar to that of Lin Shaye in the Insidious franchise, is a good one, probably the best idea in all of Surrogate.

The lasting impression left by Surrogate is of a movie that plays like a deeply confused mash-up of movies like The Ring, The Conjuring-verse films, even a touch of The Babadook, and, as I mentioned, Insidious. Surrogate barely has an identity of its own. The main villain is extraordinarily derivative and the rest of the movie simply doesn't stand up well on its own. The resolution of the story is especially weak as it plays as if the makers of Surrogate simply ran out of ideas.

Competent but forgettable, Surrogate has elements that work but can't get past its many, many influences. The film lifts so much from so many other movies that it grows tiresome rather quickly. Then there are the good elements that the movie abandons far too quickly. I already mentioned Ellie Stewart but also getting too little screen time is Darcy Kent, a charismatic actor who gets little to do as Natalie's brother. In his few scenes he earns a few good laughs and demonstrates a certain magnetism, but his role is much smaller than it appears from the start of the movie.

Surrogate will be available for streaming rental on Friday, September 2nd, 2022. I don't recommend it but if you are desperate for horror movie content, it will be there. You can find my archive of more than 20 years and nearly 2000 movie reviews at SeanattheMovies.blogspot.com. Follow me on Twitter at PodcastSean and follow the archive blog at Seanatthemovies. You can also hear me talk about movies on the Everyone's a Critic Movie Review Podcast. If you like what you read consider giving a tip here on Vocal.