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Run Rabbit Run, the latest addition to Netflix's thriller catalog premiered on the platform on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Helmed by Daina Reid, the Australian psychological thriller follows the events that unfold after a mother notices her child behaving in a strange manner.
Starring Sarah Snook, Lily LaTorre, Damon Herriman, and Greta Scacchi, Run Rabbit Run follows the psychological terror that a mother (Snook) undergoes when her daughter (LaTorre) mysteriously begins to claim to be somebody from her past, triggering painful memories and horrific events.
Written by Hannah Kent, the official synopsis of the film, as per Netflix, reads:
"A fertility doctor is frightened by her young daughter’s inexplicable memories of a past identity."
Premise
Run Rabbit Run begins with a peek into the lives of Sarah, a fertility doctor, and her daughter Mia, who has just turned seven. Eager to celebrate her birthday with her loved ones, Mia asks her mother whether a specific person is expected to show up at the party.
The person Mia asks about and says she misses is someone she has never met in her life. However, she claims that she misses people she has never met before. Mia finds a rabbit at her doorstep on the same day, and the entry of the rabbit coincides with a stark change in her behavior.
Soon after, Mia begins to identify as a person who happens to have something to do with Sarah's past. Strange occurrences happen as time passes, unraveling things from Sarah's pained and shrouded family history. Whether or not Sarah gets to the bottom of things and saves her daughter forms the rest of the story.
Run Rabbit Run review: Sarah Snook and Lily LaTorre do everything they can to shoulder the film but in vain
On paper, Run Rabbit Run has an intriguing premise. However, it remains intriguing only as an idea. Touted as a psychological thriller/horror flick, the questions one is left with after watching it far outweigh the frights, as most of the ends remain untied. Even the ones that are seemingly tied are done in a loose manner.
The makers consistently build up the tension only to let the viewer down. Daina Reid and Hannah Kent tease some solid angles and trajectories that the film could've taken, but in the end, they give us a film with a lot of potential that sadly fails to take off.
Despite its shortcomings, Run Rabbit Run makes for a somewhat engaging watch mainly because of Sarah Snook and Lily LaTorre's performances. Snook and LaTorre shine as the mother and daughter whose bond steadily corrodes, outperforming one another as and when the opportunity arises. The rest of the cast does a decent job, with Greta Scacchi standing out, despite her limited screen time.
The film stands strong from an aural standpoint, with a brilliant background score and exceptional sound design. However, the same can't be said about the cinematography and editing, which are just basic and functional with attempts to cover the landscape in an effective manner.
Ultimately, Run Rabbit Run is a film with a promising premise that's let down by weak writing and execution, making it a bland watch.
Produced by XYZ Films and Carver Films, Run Rabbit Run is available for streaming exclusively on Netflix.
