Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Momo and Okarun share a close moment in Dandadan

    Momo And Okarun: The Gold Standard For Shonen Romance

    07/03/2025
    Ironheart Episodes 4 6 But Why Tho 1

    ‘Ironheart’ Explained: Explore MCU’s Bold New Chapter

    07/01/2025
    Buck in 9-1-1

    ‘9-1-1’ Has To Let Buck Say Bisexual

    06/29/2025
    Nintendo Welcome Tour promotional image of the maraca mini-game

    The One “Game” That Justifies The Nintendo Switch 2 Purchase

    06/25/2025
    Destiel Confession in Supernatural - Castiel (Misha Collins) and Dean (Jensen Ackles)

    The Destiel Confession: The Lasting Importance Of Supernatural’s Greatest Ship

    06/22/2025
  • Squid Game
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Switch 2 Games
  • Summer Game Fest
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » REVIEW: ‘I See You’ Offers Up A Variety of Scares

REVIEW: ‘I See You’ Offers Up A Variety of Scares

Kate SánchezBy Kate Sánchez09/14/20204 Mins Read
I See You
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

I See You

The scariest story that horror mangaka Junji Ito has ever illustrated is The Human Chair. This short story which can be found in Venus in the Blind Spot is about a woman who buys a chair, only for a man to be living in it. That’s one of my biggest fears, having someone live in my house without my knowledge, and that’s what I See You taps into. Directed by Adam Randall and written by Devon Graye, I See You stars Helen Hunt, Jon Tenney, Judah Lewis, Owen Teague, and Libe Barer and follows a suburban family beset by unexplainable events that may be linked to the recent disappearance of a young boy.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

The film itself has three different stories that close in on each other with the abduction of 10-year-old Justin Whitter from a local park. His story is noted consistently through the film, “did you know about that boy,” or “what do you think happened,” it sits in the background and binds the films varied narratives together. In I See You, Greg Harper (Jon Tenney) is made lead detective on that very case.  As evidence in the case begins to grow, the investigation falls to the wayside of the narrative with Harper’s family troubles taking center stage. Jackie (Helen Hunt) isn’t the best wife, Connor (Judah Lewis) is resentful, and dear old dad is left on the outs with them both. But, as the story moves, this family drama begins to take shape as mysterious events begin plaguing the house. All the silverware goes missing, several pictures are removed from their frames, Jackie’s favorite coffee mug goes missing, and a window repairman is let in by someone inside the house while the family is away.

As the unexplainable keeps happening, the incidents become physical, and just as we begin to see answers, the perspective switches to phroggers, Mindy (Libe Barer), and Alec (Owen Teague). If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it’s well, the stuff of nightmares. Phroggers are people who sneak into houses and live in them with the family, hiding in unused rooms, using their utensils, eating their food, and just sharing a space unbeknownst to the owners. Think the basement man in Parasite, but somehow creepier.

I See You

Once we get this perspective, I See You turns into a new movie, a thriller versus a pure horror. As we see the slow interactions of the phroggers and the family, the psychological play between them is not only terrifying but slow-burning. The script flips again in a way I can’t explain and avoid spoilers. But, in the third act, the noir elements seep in and the thread connecting the three perspectives begins to reveal itself.

Three stories in one, I See You offers up a variety of scares that use elements across genres. There are elements of the film that are disturbing and some that fit in an uncanny exaggerated space. The moment the narrative switched perspectives, I was worried. Curating multiple atmospheres and evoking varying feelings in your audience is hard. When twists happen, especially those that rely on other genre elements out of the initial narrative it’s easy for the filmmakers to lose their audience. That said, I See You holds your interest. While it is jarring to see the tonal and perspective shifts, they’re followed up with plot points that immediately grab you and pull you back in.

Additionally, the film is visually unsettling. With shots that set the house as cavernous, adding to the tension and a dark color palette that builds tension even when there is no dialogue spoken. To top it all off, as the stories are lined up against each other visually, there are no inconsistencies between the story you were first told and the second one that is revealed. This keeps the flow of the film and each act unravels in a way that makes them build on each other without undercutting the one before.

Overall, I See You is a film to pick up if you’re a horror fan, a noir fan, or a thriller fan. It offers up a variety of scares and stories that keeps it pacing and intensity throughout various twists. Plus, the final twist isn’t one you’ll see coming, and as the elements of the film come together, it becomes more than the sum of its parts.

I See You is available now on VOD.

I See You
  • 8/10
    Rating - 8/10
8/10

TL;DR

I See You is a film to pick up if you’re a horror fan, a noir fan, or a thriller fan. It offers up a variety of scares and stories that keeps it pacing and intensity throughout various twists. Plus, the final twist isn’t one you’ll see coming, and as the elements of the film come together, it becomes more than the sum of its parts.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleINTERVIEW: Yoo Mira and The God of High School with Veronica Taylor
Next Article REVIEW: “Lovecraft Country,” Episode 5-“Strange Case”
Kate Sánchez
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Kate Sánchez is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of But Why Tho? A Geek Community. There, she coordinates film, television, anime, and manga coverage. Kate is also a freelance journalist writing features on video games, anime, and film. Her focus as a critic is championing animation and international films and television series for inclusion in awards cycles. Find her on Bluesky @ohmymithrandir.bsky.social

Related Posts

The Old Guard 2
5.5

REVIEW: ‘The Old Guard 2’ Is Distracted And Half-Baked

07/02/2025
Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey in Jurassic World: Rebirth
5.5

REVIEW: ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ Is Best When Nobody Is Talking

06/30/2025
MEGAN 2.0 promotional image
7.0

REVIEW: ‘M3GAN 2.0’ Puts Action First

06/29/2025
F1 (2025) promotional key art
8.0

REVIEW: ‘F1’ Is A High-Octane Blockbuster

06/24/2025
KPop Demon Hunters Promotional image form Netflix
9.0

REVIEW: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Brings Beautiful Animation And An Even Better Message

06/20/2025
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams in 28 Years Later
8.5

REVIEW: ’28 Years Later’ Is How Franchises Should Return

06/18/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Taecyeon and Seohyun in The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8
7.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The First Night With The Duke’ Episodes 7-8

By Sarah Musnicky07/03/2025

The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8 spends welcome time in pre-domestic bliss before new developments stir up trouble.

Together (2025) still from Sundance
8.0
Film

REVIEW: Have A Grossly Good Time ‘Together’

By Kate Sánchez01/27/2025Updated:07/04/2025

Dave Franco and Alison Brie’s Together (2025) is disgustingly funny, genuinely ugly, and just a good time at the movies.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and 4 Alcatraz
9.0
PS5

REVIEW: ‘Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4’ Gives Old Games New Life

By Kyle Foley07/07/2025

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 is another example of how to breathe new life into a classic without losing touch of what makes the originals great.

Alice In Borderland Season 3 promotional key image News

Netflix Announces Alice in Borderland Season 3 for September 25 Premiere

By But Why Tho?07/08/2025

Netflix has announced that the highly anticipated Alice in Borderland Season 3 will premiere on…

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here