How Z Puts a New Twist on Imaginary Friend Films

Elizabeth and Kevin Parsons live in a cookie-cutter, two-story home in suburban America with their 8-year-old son, Joshua. 

Are you bored yet? Well, don’t worry. Joshua has an imaginary friend. His name is Z. Why he’s named Z, I don’t know, but that’s his name. 

The husband-and-wife team are apparently well off and abnormally well adjusted. Joshua is a typical boy playing with his train set at home and going to school. 

Z starts hanging out with Joshua, who starts to act up in school – of course. 

Everyone believes Z is a figment of the child’s imagination. At first, Z seems relatively harmless but becomes progressively demanding as time goes by. 

Z follows the same obligatory storyline of imaginary friends in horror films. It’s a great set up, which is why it’s used so often. 

But what truth? Therein lies the challenge for all writers and directors who tangle with this well- wore storyline. 

How Z Succeeds

How do you make this old story new?  If you’re a horror connoisseur like I am, you’ll be probably satisfied enough, but not necessarily thrilled, with this film. 

 While it has some original moments, It’s not a crossover film like The Exorcist or The Omen (1976) where people who don’t like horror are fans of these films anyway. 

 Whether you’re into horror or not, Z is a decent film that’s handled with care, which I appreciate. I never got the feeling that it was thrown together, or it was designed simply to scare the audience with cheap tricks like some horror films that I’ve seen. 

 Z succeeds in two areas that makes it worth watching. It brings a new twist to the imaginary friend storyline and creates one of the best shock scenes I’ve ever seen, even rivaling some of the classics. 

 But I wish more care had been placed in the character that the film was named after because horror films require a significant and understood threat to work well.

Story is Slow But One Scene Gives Big Pay Off

Z starts slow – too slow for me. I was so bored at the beginning that I ordered a book on Amazon about finance I wanted to read. I think I was distracted partly because the family appears so perfect in a two-dimensional way.

I also didn’t clearly know who the main character was at that point, so it wasn’t as easy to follow. 

Usually, great horror films leave ominous breadcrumbs. Of course, some clues were dropped here, but they weren’t particularly spooky. 

But that all changed – in one scene. If you saw the film, you know exactly what I mean. I sat there, mouth agape, staring at the scene for a full 30 seconds after it played out. I even rewound it and watched it again. 

I had the same reaction when I saw Hereditary and Deep Blue Sea. Again, if you saw these films, you know exactly what I mean. 

I’m not entirely certain why this scene was so shocking either. It wasn’t a cheap jumpscare, but rather it was a carefully crafted set up that required competent direction.  

Perhaps, the scene worked well because the director lulled the audience into a completely comfortable position, especially after a series of quiet scenes. 

The scene started with the obligatory set up in most imaginary friend films where the mother tells someone, usually outside the family, about the child’s problems. 

After Elizabeth confides in her friend, she’s told it’s all going to be OK – blah, blah, blah – so the scene is expected to go. But not this scene. 

Instead of blah, blah, blah, the audience got blah, blah, blah – BOOM! 

The directory wisely gave no indication that the scene was about to turn. Just as you’re completely comfortable, the scene zigzags in a different direction. 

What’s also satisfying about this scene is that after it happens, you realize you should’ve seen it coming all along. But you didn’t, which adds to the shock. 

Another factor in its favor was that it wasn’t a cheap scare or contrived, but rather it fit in perfectly with the storyline.

I’d be overstating it if I put it on the same level as the aforementioned scenes in Hereditary and Deep Blue Sea. 

The Z scene does not affect the direction of the storyline, and it’s more subtle, so it’s less shocking, but it had the same satisfying effect, which was to utterly misdirect the audience until the payoff. 

After that scene, I was committed to watch the rest of the film. 

Who is Z?

In the 2012 Sinister, I don’t know much about Bughuul, other than he’s a demon-like supernatural creature who eats children’s souls.

But in Z, I don’t even know that much.

With Bughuul, I don’t know how he got that way or why he does what he does. I don’t need to know that either. I know what I need to know.

In Sinister, Bughuul is a serious threat to the main character, true crime writer Ellison Oswalk who must protect his wife, Tracy, and children, Trevor and Ashley, from what appears to be an insurmountable enemy. 

In Z, I was left wondering. 

Who or what is Z? A ghost? A demon? A space alien? Why does he pick this particular family? How did he latch only Joshua? What does he want exactly? Why does he want it?  If I have no sense of what Z is or what he really wants, I can’t truly be fearful for the family. 

I feel that a great evil character is just as important as any other aspect of a horror film. I need to know what I’m up against.

After spending nearly two hours, in some cases, watching a film, the audience deserves to know more about the evil creature stalking the family. 

That’s why Bughuul works. I know enough about him, but not too much. I don’t need all the questions answered even after the film is over, but I need some direction. Z didn’t explain the nature of the threat enough.

Also, I’ve a sense of what Bughuul looks like. When he appears in the film, he’s consistent. 

But in Z, I’m shown three physical versions – an ogre, a ripped goth and weedy elfen creature.  I don’t know what’s the true form. If all forms are true, why is that the case? Is he a shape-shifter? Does he have henchmen? I need more signposts to understand the story. 

I feel Z leaves too much on the table, which is unfortunate since so much care has been placed in other areas. It begs the question of whether the film’s creators answered these important questions for themselves. 

Perhaps they thought it didn’t matter exactly who or what Z is as long as he’s a threat. But for me, that doesn’t cut it. 

I want a well thought out story where the creators know exactly what’s going on and only reveal what’s necessary when the time is right. Anything less is lazy and unfair to the audience. 

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, I liked Z. For those who like horror, it’s not bad. For those who prefer more gore, it’s probably not for you as Z isn’t that kind of film. 

Z added a new twist to an old storyline, which isn’t easy to do and created one unforgettable scene that genuinely shocked me, which again, after all the horror films I’ve seen, isn’t easy to do. 

Z could have been a great character but he needed more thought.

Let me know what you think in the comments. 

Also, please be careful not to give away major plot points for those who haven’t seen it. 

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