Home Bodies – Movie Review | Fantasia (4/5)

HOME BODIES is a Sci-Fi Horror movie that feels oddly scary due to its unsettling atmosphere. It’s eerie in all the right ways, and the tiny cast only adds to this. You’ll just have to watch it to experience the vibe. Screening at Fantasia 2026. Read our full Home Bodies movie review here!

HOME BODIES is screening at Fantasia 2026. The official genres listed are Horror, Sci-Fi, and Family. Yes, “Family” is the third and final genre, which should be the first sign that this is a very unsettling experience. Of course, many dystopian movies have the family element in their plots, but they also tend to sting.

With this one, it’s all about the family, and this one is, well, different. The atmosphere is very unsettling from the opening scene, but just when you think you’re on board with this strange sci-fi horror setting, something changes. And this is the kind of change that impacts the entire world of the characters.

Continue reading our Home Bodies movie review below.

Welcome to the world of Red and Blue

In Home Bodies, we meet two teenagers who are also the title characters. Not by choice, but because their world is so incredibly small. They exist only within this home, where everyone else makes choices for them. On the surface, it’s a “normal” life with three meals, some activities, and entertainment.

And yet, there is nothing normal about this world.

Red and Blue live a very confined existence, but having never known a different life, this is simply their world. Not a strange or different one, just their sense of normal. For us, it’s a strangely retro world, where everything is automated, but in an odd way.

If the fridge is mostly empty when they look inside, then the next time it will be filled to the brim with fresh produce. Also, there’s entertainment, but of an extremely limited variety. VHS tapes show up in a drawer underneath their television set. It’s episodes of a show called “Barn” starring a cow, a pig, and a chicken.

By now, they’ve watched all the episodes, so there’s a certain comfort in this recognition. Also, they have to report to “Papa”. This isn’t an actual person, but rather a disembodied voice behind a locked door. Papa enforces the rules they are meant to live by.

A very special Christmas present

In Home Bodies, you will become as familiar with the world of Red and Blue as these two kids are. Then something happens. A huge change in their lives. It comes very suddenly, on a holiday very much like our Christmas, a strange present awaits. Not under the tree, but rather behind it.

It’s a new person: Pal.

To Red and Blue, this new androgynous humanoid – who doesn’t speak, but instead simply follows their lead – is both intriguing and a little scary. Also, it will become obvious that Pal isn’t as benign as they seem. With the arrival of Pal, the VHS tapes also changes. Now, they are more disturbing.

While Red is intrigued, Blue is more concerned, and this will drive a serious wedge between the two people who previously only had each other. The “third wheel” notion comes to mind.

With Emma Ho (The Expanse, the upcoming The Last House) and Ian Ho (A Simple Favor, The Expanse) as Red and Blue. It’s great seeing the Ho twins playing wonderfully off of each other. As the strange addition of Pal, we get to enjoy a downright unsettling performance by Ess Hödlmoser (The Boys, Station Eleven).

Home Bodies screening at Fantasia 2026

Casey Walker is the director of Home Bodies, who has lots of credits to his name. Including the 2012 zombie horror-comedy A Little Bit Zombie, which also screened at Fantasia. The screenplay comes from writers Adrian Murray (Retrograde) and Marcus Sullivan (Withdrawn).

I am so intrigued by the world-building they present in this sci-fi horror.

Director Casey Walker has previously executive-produced some wonderful genre movies. They include the indie hit In a Violent Nature (2024), along with the 2016 genre-hybrid The Void and Adam MacDonald‘s  Pyewacket (2017).

Karen Harnisch (Infinity Pool) and Chad Archibald (Undertone) are producers on this one. With its surreal vibe and strangely familiar setting, this one is bound to intrigue audiences. Also, the runtime of 97 minutes works well for the storyline, so the pace is spot-on.

Home Bodies is screening at Fantasia 2026. Updates about wider releases will be added to this review when available.

Details

Director: Casey Walker
Writers: Adrian Murray, Marcus Sullivan
Cast: Emma Ho, Ian Ho, Ess Hödlmoser