12DOVE Verdict
A credible, if slightly limited, prequel that recaptures the atmosphere if not the originality of Rosemary’s Baby.
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Like this year’s The First Omen, Apartment 7A is a prequel to an iconic horror movie – in this case, Satanic classic Rosemary’s Baby (1968) – that fleshes out, to some degree, the world of its predecessor-slash-successor.
Here, Julia Garner plays Terry Gionoffrio (a name fans of the '68 film will recall), a would-be dancer who suffers a career-threatening injury. Her luck changes, however, when she meets Roman (Kevin McNally) and Margaux (Dianne Wiest), an elderly couple who live in the Bramford – the very same New York apartment building that’s home to Mia Farrow’s Rosemary in Roman Polanski’s original.
Offering her a place to stay, this kindly pair seem to be the answer to Terry’s prayers; she also grows close to Alan (Jim Sturgess), a fellow resident and influential Broadway producer. But after a night she can’t quite fathom, Terry finds herself pregnant, and beset by nightmares and hallucinations. Or as she puts it: "I’m seeing things that aren’t there… there’s something wrong with the baby or me."
Director/co-writer Natalie Erika James (2020’s critically lauded Relic) is a dab hand at eerie flourishes (the sight of Terry’s belly growing is a standout). Garner (Ozark, the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps) convinces as the potential demonic patsy, though she’s surpassed by Wiest, who revels in her supremely unsettling role (one peephole shot of her staring intently truly chills).
But for all that, there are times when Apartment 7A feels derivative, not least when a rival to Terry suffers a bone-cracking demise that recalls Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria remake. Boasting big-name producers (John Krasinski, Michael Bay) and scored with '60s hits (notably Be My Baby), it’s a well-crafted film, even if it doesn’t greatly expand upon the original movie.
Apartment 7A streams on Paramount+ and is available to buy digitally from September 27.
For more upcoming horror movies, check out our guide to 2024 movie release dates.
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