Humane review: Is this movie worth a watch?

Humane, directed by Caitlin Cronenberg, was released on April 17, 2024. The movie starred Emily Hampshire as Rachel, Jay Baruchel as Jared York, Sebastian Chacon as Noah York, and Alanna Bale as Ashley York, among others.

The trailer for Humane which came out on April 26, 2024, showed a unique concept for a horror saga, which was all set to tackle the bigger problem of climate change.

However, the script of the film has a very disappointing and bizarre ending which makes no sense as Ashley and Grace are heard to sacrifice themselves when the movie ends.

If you’re planning to watch the film thinking about its approach towards climate change and bigger world issues, you should keep in mind that the main message that the film intended to convey didn’t relish well in the end. For people who love horror movies, this is simply not the film they would like to watch.

Note: This is based on the writer's opinion.

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Humane is a failed attempt at horror and climate change

Although the plot, the trailer, and the concept are fantastic, the ending and the making of the film are disappointing. The cinematography and the production feel cheap as the whole film takes place in one place, making it a claustrophobic watch for the audience.

In the film, the government has called for people to kill themselves as a part of the euthanasia program, to control the population of the world. The ozone layer of the planet is depleting and population control is a way to tackle the world problem on a larger scale.

In the film, Charles, the head of the York family along with his Asian wife Dawn sign up for the euthanasia program. He calls his children for a reunion lunch where he reveals his sacrificial plan.

In the film Humane, Bob arrives to collect two bodies for euthanasia, but Dawn runs away. This leaves Jared, Ashley, Noah, and Rachel in a bind, as Bob insists on fulfilling the pact. The siblings turn on each other and decide to kill Noah, who is adopted.

However, Noah’s girlfriend, Grace, intervenes to stop the violence. Bob kills Grace, prompting Noah to stab Ashley in anger. The siblings then discover that their stepmother Dawn is still alive, as Bob reveals. The film ends bizarrely with Ashley and Grace sacrificing themselves to help the earth heal.

Naturally, the film is political, and there are a few subtly racist scenes. The world, the concept, the government, and every aspect of the movie allude to COVID-19 and whatever occurred in Asia. Charles's new wife in the movie is Asian too.

Although there are multiple tension-filled scenes between characters and many intense, gruesome, and gore scenes, the bizarre ending will make viewers question why they invested 94 minutes to watch this film. The film is neither a subtle horror watch nor a political one or one that focuses on climate change as it promised.

The film veered sharply from its intended theme and narrative, turning a larger issue into a family matter. The director's disorganized and disjointed storyline would have been improved if he had to murder every character in the film, either by having Bob kill them or by having them kill each other—because none of the characters are likable and they are all suffering from hamartia.

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Any serious horror enthusiast would not want to watch Humane and would not anticipate any truly terrifying scenes from it.

Humane is now playing on Prime Video.