Running Time: 72 Minutes
Starring: Sarah Ritter, Eva Ariel Binder, Rodrigo Varandas, Danielle Cichon
Co-writer/director Stephon Stewart opens his latest feature, Psyche, in an often-seen setting; a post-apocalyptic landscape. Within the dilapidated location awakens Mara (Sarah Ritter), bound and trapped within a white bag. Upon freeing herself, she finds that her screams for help fail to resonate against the empty environment. However, she soon finds something unexpected that can help her; a vintage 1980s computer. Journeying across the unforgiving terrain, Mara must confront her deepest fears to find a way out.
From early on, what catches viewers eyes is how stunning this film looks. Sandy landscapes have often been so wonderfully realised elsewhere, such as Mad Max: Fury Road and the Dune films, and the worry can be that such locations could look a dime a dozen. There is no need to fret, as nestled within Stewart's direction is a striking visual flair that brings it alive rather well, particularly with the memorable use of black and white images.
While crossing the unwelcoming terrain, the external journey that Mara undertakes collides with her internal journey, as she struggles to find answers to repeated questions about herself. Amidst these odd circumstances, she tries to find a sense of self by facing her inner issues, grappling with the impact of her actions, and wondering whether the life she lived was a satisfactory one. Key to this is Sarah Ritter's lead performance, which terrifically captures Mara's determination and worries as she faces life not turning out as she hoped.
An early scene has tensions rising from the unknown, with the score ramping up effectively to convey the lurking terror. This moment makes it clear that Mara's ordeal is just beginning, as the ensuing experience sees her guided to checkpoints that must be fulfilled against a time limit. The experience feels inspired by video games, right down to Mara traveling with the talking computer that navigates her route and provides explanations. This is also true of an encounter with a shadow entity, although that moment struggles to translate onto screen as it feels in need of refining.
Even with the slim 72-minute runtime, this may test viewers' patience courtesy of the experimental way it approaches Mara's journey, particularly regarding the pacing. Regarding what is happening to Mara, one wishes that a subtler approach was employed, as the combination of intercutting flashes and the opening text leaves it feeling more piled on than necessary. Despite that, Psyche is a solidly directed piece that weaves familiar elements together into an effective package.
Psyche made its Scottish Premiere at FrightFest Glasgow 2025
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