Sundowning Review. A Dark and Atmospheric Horror With a Deeper Meaning

Sundowning is a short horror film that packs a surprisingly thoughtful story into its ten-minute runtime.

Written and directed by Aimie Willemse, and commissioned by Take Three / Screen Scotland, the film follows nine-year-old Claire, who is left alone overnight with her estranged grandmother, Morag.

From the beginning, it’s clear that the two don’t have much of a relationship. Claire isn’t necessarily frightened of her grandmother, but there is an understandable awkwardness about being left with someone she barely knows.

As night falls, Morag’s behaviour begins to change, and through Claire’s eyes her grandmother seemingly becomes something monstrous.

But Sundowning isn’t a traditional monster story.

When Dementia Becomes the Monster

The title provides an important clue to what is actually happening.

Sundowning is a term associated with increased confusion, agitation and behavioural changes that can occur later in the day in some people living with dementia.

The horror therefore comes from experiencing Morag’s changing behaviour through the eyes of nine-year-old Claire who doesn’t understand what is happening to her grandmother. Her illness becomes the monster, transforming something painfully real into something frightening and seemingly supernatural and I thought this was handled very well visually.

We never really get a clear look at the creature. Instead, there are fleeting glimpses, a flash in the darkness or something quickly moving across the screen. Whenever we properly see Morag, however, she is still just Claire’s grandmother.

It leaves open the possibility that what Claire perceives as a monster is actually her confused and disorientated grandmother, with the frightening creature representing how a child might process behaviour that she doesn’t really understand.

Underneath the horror, Sundowning is therefore just as much about the developing relationship between Claire and Morag.

Claire in woods

Dark, Creepy and Atmospheric

This isn’t a short horror built around jump scares. Instead, it creates a dark and unsettling atmosphere and maintains throughout.

The decision not to show too much of the perceived creature works well, while the audio adds considerably to the uneasy feeling that something isn’t quite right.

The acting performances stood out to me because of how natural they felt. Some independent short films can occasionally suffer from performances that feel a little too theatrical, but I didn’t find that here. The awkward relationship between Claire and Morag feels believable, which makes the more frightening moments much more effective.

Despite running for only around ten minutes, the film doesn’t feel rushed either. The pacing is steady, and the runtime feels just about right for the story being told.

Sundowning is creepy and atmospheric

Final Thoughts

Sundowning works both as a creepy little horror film and as something considerably more human.

What initially appears to be a story about a young girl spending the night with a grandmother who becomes something monstrous gradually reveals itself as an exploration of dementia through the frightened and confused eyes of a child.

The restrained creature glimpses, atmospheric sound and natural performances all work together well, but it’s the relationship between Claire and Morag that gives the film its emotional weight.

For a film lasting only ten minutes, it manages to say quite a lot without overstaying its welcome.

I give it 4 out of 5