“Pretty” follows a woman who makes contact with the ghost of a murdered young girl. After becoming plagued by strange occurrences, she finds herself in a twisted game of love, murder and jealousy.
Writer-director Metecan Duren tells all in “Pretty,” mixing horror and fantasy elements inside of a lengthy 123-minute runtime. It’s too long for its own good. The film loses momentum at times because of its commitment to showing everything. As Pretty DMs a stranger, their entire conversation is shown to the audience. Not just quickly scrolling through messages, but watching Pretty type, then wait for a response, then type again… and so on. With extended scenes taken up by static footage of a phone and reaction shots, it grows monotonous quickly. An approach similar to “Drop” would have allowed events to still occur around Pretty while she types, rather than making the phone the sole focus of attention. This also applies to flashbacks, which don’t always begin and end with a “flash.” While the screenplay is detailed, it becomes bloated with a plethora of details that feel unimportant in the grand scheme of things.
At the same time, plenty of information is kept hidden. Even in the final act, it remains unclear what is actually going on. There are DMs from a stranger. There are conversations with a ghost. There is bloodshed. But these aspects don’t really mesh together for a cohesive story. While this heightens the mystery surrounding the plot, it also causes it to feel largely aimless.
The film also shifts in terrifying directions at a moment’s notice. And this is, in part, what makes the horror effective. “Pretty” features a scene that drags on for too long, only for a creepy visual to suddenly appear on the screen. It catches you off guard in this way. While many genre entries are full of forced jump scares, Duren actually earns them. Whether that’s a figure running full speed toward the camera or simply a character stepping into frame, these moments result in jolts that feel natural rather than eye-roll-inducing.
Duren is also responsible for the cinematography, editing and musical score. The majority of “Pretty” takes place in the dark. Shots are lit in different ways to generate various effects, delivering a mixture of silhouettes and shadows as characters stand in doorways and streets or maneuver through a house. Some continuity errors are present — blood appearing and disappearing, changes in clothing position — but they don’t prove to be overly distracting. The score is bass-heavy, featuring a rumbling effect that maintains a steady sense of tension.
Melisa Kihtir (Pretty), Saran Duren (Emma), Iclal Aykac (Ivy), Kayra Dogan (Lea) and Omer Gursoy (Tom) all star. While the performances aren’t “bad,” they do hold “Pretty” back. The actors don’t match the intensity of the tense scenarios that occur. Even in the most horrific moments, characters almost seem disinterested rather than fully engaged. This creates an inorganic effect that makes everything feel dull.
A bloated script and weak performances hold back the frightening framework that “Pretty” establishes. The film contains effectively creepy images but spends too much time providing too complex of answers.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
