Z (2019)

A creepy imaginary friend becomes a dangerous game in Z.

Beth (Keegan Connor Tracy) knows her son Josh (Jett Klyne) loves to play and create. He’s not the most popular kid, and Beth thinks he may have created an imaginary friend with his active imagination. She also has to look after her dying mother and deal with her sister Jenna (Sara Canning), who has many personal issues. Josh introduces his parents to “Z” at dinner time, confirming Beth’s suspicions, and he caters to what the invisible Z likes. To make matters worse, Josh’s father, Kevin (Sean Rogerson), has been hiding his son’s reports of bad behaviour at school, resulting in his suspension. A visit to child psychologist Dr. Seager (Stephen McHattie) reveals that Josh’s behaviour is a part of growing up, and he needs more playtime with his parents. Things become stranger when Josh’s attitude grows more threatening, and when Beth thinks she sees Z, she has much more to worry about than her mother’s death.

Alberta-born director Brandon Christensen co-wrote this thrilling ride with Colin Minihan, showing the lengths a mother will go for her son and the legacy of family secrets. The performances from Klyne and Tracy are tense and keep you on the edge of your seat. Using children’s toys as vehicles of terror is well done here too. With a great supporting role played by character actor and genre film veteran McHattie and an equally scary and heartbreaking story, Z is sure to keep you up at night.