Delirium (3/5)

Delirium is one juicy mind f**k of a horror thriller. Topher Grace stars in the all-important lead role in director Dennis Iliadis latest movie. Right now, Delirium is out on Netflix in both the US and Canada.

Delirium may start out feeling like a thriller, but it ends up using horror elements in key plot twists. And believe me, the horror is very real and down-right terrifying!

Topher Grace works really well in the lead role as a young man, who grew up in a mental institute. Much of the story revolves around a “is this real?” question.

Just like the lead character, you will doubt what your eyes show you. Delirium is very much an appropriate title!

Dennis Iliadis’ latest movie – well, kinda

While Delirium is officially the latest movie by director Dennis Iliadis, this may not actually be the case. He was originally listed as the director of He’s Out There, but suddenly a new director was named as responsible.

Before changing the name of the director, they had even made a poster for the movie which clearly stated that Iliadis was the director. We don’t know what actually happened, but it’s all pretty strange. Especially because the new director of He’s Out There was the completely unknown Quinn Lasher.

Also read: More (or not really, as it’s the case) about Quinn Lasher here >

Getting back to Delirium, it definitely has all the signs of being the handiwork of someone who knows how to create horror. In case you don’t know what Iliadis has (officially) directed in the past, he was responsible for the remake of Last House on the Left from 2009.

Delirium isn’t quite that kind of movie. But much like The Last House on the Left, it does take place mostly inside one house.

What a trip

While watching Delirium, it’s impossible not to start guessing the plot. Just like the main character (Topher Grace), you’re trapped in this house where strange things keep happening.

Since he’s just been released from a mental institution on a form of probation, he’s not sure how much he can trust his own mind. When he sees something, he knows there’s a chance it’s all in his head.

And since we only see what he’s seeing, we’re left with the same predicament.

This sounds like something that could drag out for too long and get boring. Fortunately, that’s not the case. We enter into more of a mystery situation and the real plot begins to unravel.

Still, the ending definitely threw me for a loop. It was much darker and more sinister than I could’ve imagined. Kudos for that!

Watch Delirium on Netflix now!

The script for Delirium was written by Adam Alleca. He also co-wrote the script for the remake of Wes Craven’s The Last House on the Left, which Dennis Iliadis directed back in 2009. Clearly, they must have figured that working together was a good idea, and I agree.

I wasn’t blown away by the story itself, but the execution of it worked like a charm. Then again, Adam Alleca also co-wrote the screenplay for Cell which was based on a Stephen King novel. Cell was not exactly one of the better Stephen King adaptations.

As for the supporting cast, you’re in for quite a treat. Actors like Patricia Clarkson and Callan Mulvey (300: Rise of an Empire) have key supporting roles in Delirium. Patricia Clarkson (Sharp Objects) plays quite a fascinating character – then again, I do adore her!

If you like movies where mind games is a driving force, then you should enjoy Delirium. It does also require you to at least like Topher Grace since he’s in every scene. Personally, I thought he worked really well in this movie.

Delirium is out on Netflix in the US and Canada now!

Details

Director: Dennis Iliadis
Writer: Adam Alleca
Cast: Topher Grace, Patricia Clarkson, Genesis Rodriguez, Callan Mulvey, Robin Thomas

Plot

A man recently released from a mental institute inherits a mansion after his wealthy father dies. After a series of disturbing events, he comes to believe it is haunted. Either that or he never should have been released from the mental institute.