“Bloat” (2025) is an American-Japanese-French screenlife horror film marking the feature directorial debut of Pablo Absento. Written and directed by Absento, the film stars Ben McKenzie, Bojana Novakovic, Sawyer Jones, Malcolm Fuller, and Kane Kosugi. Lionsgate released it in theaters and on Video on Demand (VOD) on March 7, 2025.
The story follows Hannah (Bojana Novakovic) and her two sons, Steve (Malcolm Fuller) and Kyle (Sawyer Jones), as they embark on a vacation to Japan. However, their trip takes a sinister turn when Kyle nearly drowns in a lake. After the incident, he begins exhibiting disturbing behavior, forcing Hannah and her husband, Jack (Ben McKenzie), a deployed U.S. Marine, to confront the chilling possibility that their son has been possessed by an ancient demon lurking beneath the lake.
“Bloat” has received mixed reviews from critics. RogerEbert.com noted the film’s fusion of J-horror influences with the screenlife format, suggesting that audience enjoyment may depend on their preference for these styles. Culture Crypt praised its unique storytelling, particularly the perspective of a father witnessing his son’s possession from afar.
