I’ll be the first to admit, that The Portrait is a bit of a head-scratcher. The title bears a narrative that centers itself around the notion that to understand the film, you need to decide if Sofia is losing her mind or being haunted. There are plenty of films like it. The Shining is a cult classic, A Creature Was Stirring was released on Christmas 2023 and Nightmare was released by AMC+ networks breathing a puff of air into an already saturated theme. If you’ve never seen a film that walks the fine line between sanity and the supernatural realm, I can assume you haven’t seen many movies at all.
The Portrait introduces Sofia on the back of her husband’s accident. With a brain-induced trauma, Alex is the shell of his former self and Sofia is now in charge of trying to get him better. Backed by Alex’s rich family, the pair arrive at a large estate where Alex grew up hoping to spark some kind of memory. Director Simon Ross’s directorial debut is filled with small moments, dusty antiques, and dramatic pauses as Sofia discovers something in the attic that freaks her out.
Haunted Paintings In Movies
Alex’s wife discovers a painting that is said to be a distant relative to Alex and also a self-portrait. The trouble with the painting is, that it looks exactly like her husband. She finds solace in a hauntingly familiar face that mirrors his brighter days. Her attachment to the painting grows, but slowly over time, she also begins to sow fear in her heart. Strange things begin to happen.
Noise that can’t be sourced and dreams that are now filled with the painting’s likeness. With empathy for her growing turmoil, she grapples with a chilling possibility: Is the portrait imbued with a dark force, or is it her fragile psyche that teeters on the edge? With frightening resolve, she peels away the layers of mystery, seeking to unravel the poignant truth that lies behind the canvas before it overwhelms her
The Portrait Movie
Despite the supernatural theme and shot at a jump scare, the title doesn’t really deliver much within the horror genre. More a psychodrama with an edge, The Portrait claims atmospheric tension in smaller moments with Sofia as she struggles to work out what’s going on inside her husband’s mind. Could his ancestor and his painting have an otherworldly power that is using him to enact his true desires, or has Sofia’s desire to rid herself of her guilt caused her to tip past the point of return?
Cinematography is an impressive mixture of persistent anxiety. The problem is, that the atmosphere rarely edges towards any climactic points. Not a lot happens throughout The Portrait and I struggled to stay invested in this title. The relationship between
Alex and Sofia is an intimate one that prescribes how it must feel to lose someone who remains on Earth. While this aspect is well executed highlighted by external frustration and guilt from Sofia, her character arc is confusing. Is she as invested in his recovery as she says she is, or has he tapped into an ability that runs in the family?
Alex (played by Ryan Kwanten) does an excellent job maintaining an elusive persona that you aren’t ever sure of. With no backstory about who he was before the accident, it makes it hard to hone in on who needs rescuing. The payoff in the finale was worth waiting for though even if it compounds the confusion.
To sum up, the release of The Portrait has so far delivered mixed reviews. IMBd.com has the title sitting at 4.4/10. User reviews cite great acting from both leads but a lack of horror and conclusion let the title down. I tend to agree here.
The Portrait is worth a one-time watch.
For another film about a doppelganger painting, check out The Visitor. For a better film about the same topic, watch The Relic.
The Portrait Trailer
To watch this film about a haunted painting, check the link below for where to watch in your regions
The Portrait film is streaming on:
Distributed By: Saban Films.
On VOD & Digital: December 8, 2023.
Directed By: Simon Ross.
Written By: David Griffiths.
Distributed By: Saban Films.
Starring: Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Ryan Kwanten, Isidora Goreshter with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Virginia Madsen.
Parent Guidance for The Portrait 2023 film: The title has extreme violence, some sexual content, language, and brief drug use.
Run Time: 86 Minutes
