Somnium is the feature film debut from writer-director Racheal Cain. Like many before her, Gemma (Chloe Levine, The Sacrifice Game) has left her small town for Los Angeles to try to make it big. She takes a night job at a sleep clinic while taking auditions during the day. She is soon drawn into a world of nightmares and darkness.
The predictable set up is carried by the mystery of the titular clinic. On the surface, it is a facility that helps its patients discover the inner confidence they need to fulfill all of their dreams – and there are some success stories. In reality, it is the host of something more sinister.
In between navigating her increasingly difficult life, Gemma begins to have trouble differentiating reality from fantasy. This includes a mysterious figure that is roaming the halls of the clinic. These are the strong parts of Somnium. Cain does an excellent job of giving the film a nightmarish atmosphere. The tension remains high and the audience will be curious to find out what happens.
Levine is the focus of Somnium. Her story is made more interesting thanks to the presence and vulnerability she brings to Gemma. It is a shame that the rest of the characters do not get the same treatment. A lot of characters are introduced, and most have an intriguing story. The issue is they never go anywhere. This is even true of Gemma, to some extent.
In spite of its flaws, it is still an enjoyable watch. Stories involving dreams can be difficult to tell, but Cain is able to deftly pull it off in a strong debut. Levine is incredible and will draw audiences in and there is an overall creepy element to it all that will appeal to fans of genre cinema.
Somnium opens August 29.
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