Skinamarink taps into the primal fear of a child waking up in the night and finding the things they take comforts like home, toys, and cartoons, twisted into something nightmarish in the dark. The stunning debut feature directed by Kyle Edward Ball is a treat for horror movie fans.
The experimental horror film is full of throbbing rooms of darkness and told from an unreliable, distorted perception with a liminal dimensional rift thrown in for good measure.
After being premiered back at the Fantasia Film Festival, it was released in theatres in January 2023. Being a downright evil film that isn’t afraid to stalk the emotional core of nostalgia, the ending reveals that Skinamarink is not a real thing, but the inspiration behind the movie does come from a real place.
What Exactly Happened in Skinamarink?
Skinamarink follows four-year-old Kevin, played by Lucas Paul, and his six-year-old sister Kaylee played by Dali Rose Tetreault. Both of them find themselves alone in their house, all the doors and windows missing, and their father nowhere to be found.
Honestly, The movie was purposely produced as an ambiguous film that is open to interpretation.
It is reported by Kaylee that Kevin injured himself in a sleepwalking incident in the movie. Later, Kevin might be sleepwalking for the entire movie, and another possible interpretation is that he is in a coma, which helps to explain why the audio and music in the movie sound so distorted.
As very little is explained by the movie, Skinamarink is shown as a nightmarish and dream-like horror film about two kids trapped in their house with no escape. The movie did not actually reveal a single character’s face as they’re never straight on, giving audiences plenty of the backs of heads.
What Was the Monster in Skinamarink?
With everything left for interpretation, the movie has no definitive plot like it was made to be theorized. While it does not give any explanation, it is safe to assume that Entity is the monster in the Skinamarink. The supernatural being is responsible for the kidnapping and imprisonment of Kevin and Kaylee, acting as a guardian for them within its house-like realm as well as using them as his personal “playmates” to be with for all eternity.
Is There a Demon in Skinamarink?
The movie did not reveal much about its characters. However, according to theories on the internet, there is a demon in Skinamarink who is terrorizing the children. In the movie, it is happening on a superficial level, as writer-director Kyle Edward Bell made reference to the entity in an interview-
“There are many parts of the movie where I have a set idea of what the monster is doing and what’s happening to a person, and why.”
What Did the 572 Days in Skinamarink Mean?
Towards the end of the movie, the words 572 Days appear over a shot of an upside-down room filled with toys. However, just like many other things, it is not explained. According to the theory of Kevin being in the coma, 572 is the number of days that could represent the length of time he has been unconscious.
Do the Kids Survive Skinamarink?
The toys of Kevin and Kaylee begin to float to the ceiling, and they are later confused by the dark forces. The kids do not survive Skinamarink, as Kaylee is the first one to die. She is instructed to put a knife in her eyes.
As Kevin sees her sister dying, he tries everything but is left entirely alone in a sense that is horrifying. He joins her as the scene of him witnessing blood splattering on the floor in yet another loop of the many that populate the film.
Why Is It Called Skinamarink?
The title of the movie is a slightly re-spelled version of the title of a nursery rhyme, Skidamarink. It is a nod to the popular children’s song, and the filmmaker Kyle Edward Ball has made this tune very disturbing by placing it front and center for his scary movie. It was called Skinamarink because it was the director’s personal relevance and many others during childhood.
He intentionally slightly altered the spelling so that young children searching online for the song would not accidentally find his film. “It’s personal, sentimental, and feels personal to other people; it’s child-like and makes no sense.” said the director.
Is Skinamarink a Real Thing?
The director revealed he took inspiration from some of the thoughts he had in his childhood. Considering his statement, it would be safe to say that Skinamarink is neither real nor inspired by any real-life incidents. Kyle Edward Ball based Skinamarink on a specific recurring nightmare he had as a child, in which he would find himself trapped in his house with no parents and a monster lurking in the shadows.
Skinamarink is available to stream for free on Hulu, rent on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, and Apple TV, or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, and Apple TV.
Let us know in the comments what you think about the ending of the movie. Do you think Kevin was in a coma, or was there something else that we did not notice?