Addict

Directed by Nick Acosta

Nick Acosta’s Addict is an intensely personal psychological horror that blends addiction drama with supernatural horror to explore the destructive spiral of relapse. The film centers on Daniel, a recently sober drug addict, who is drawn back into a harrowing relapse and stalked by a terrifying entity that manifests his inner demons. With this narrative, Acosta invites the audience into the dark and isolating world of addiction, drawing from his own brother’s real-life struggles to add emotional depth to the horror.

At the heart of Addict is the entity—a monstrous, large-armed creature symbolizing the unrelenting grip of addiction. While this metaphor may feel familiar, the film’s creature design is haunting and effective. The creature looms over Daniel, as his battle with sobriety becomes more and more desperate. The stark, white settings, evoking a hospital or sanitized facility, heighten the sense of entrapment that mirrors Daniel’s mental state as he succumbs to his urges.

Technically, the film shines in its sound design and atmosphere. The anxiety-inducing score, coupled with unsettling sound effects, makes the viewer feel as if they’re caught in Daniel’s frantic mind, experiencing the suffocating tension and fear right alongside him. The editing effectively mirrors Daniel’s escalating torment, with abrupt cuts and uncomfortable pacing that contribute to a growing sense of dread. However, some may find fault in the film’s slow pacing, as scenes can feel drawn out and repetitive, repeating the same narrative beats without diving deeper into Daniel’s personal history or emotional arc.

While Addict excels in its visuals and sound, it falters somewhat in character development and narrative depth. The supporting characters, though integral to Daniel’s journey, lack the complexity that might have helped ground the story’s emotional core. The film occasionally leans on familiar tropes about addiction, which might feel underdeveloped in contrast to the more striking horror elements.

Acosta’s directing style, with its unsettling camerawork and psychological undertones, is a clear highlight. The decision to leave the story open-ended allows the audience to interpret Daniel’s fate in their own way, further cementing the film’s status as a psychological thriller rather than a straightforward horror movie.

Addict is a passion project, and Acosta’s personal connection to the story adds weight to the film’s emotional landscape. While it doesn’t always break new ground in its portrayal of addiction, it compensates with powerful visuals, a disturbing creature design, and a relentless atmosphere that lingers long after the credits roll. The film is not just a horror piece but an allegory for the relentless and cyclical nature of addiction—a fitting tribute to the struggle that inspired it.

Addict is a well-crafted psychological horror that will resonate with fans of the genre, particularly those drawn to films that tackle real-world issues through the lens of the supernatural. Though its pacing and character depth may not hit all the right notes, its atmosphere, sound design, and emotional core make it a gripping exploration of addiction’s dark hold.