Children are creepy. I mean it. Just ask The Babadook, Insidious, or any of the members of the Children of the Corn. Kids seem to tune into the world on a different frequency, receiving and embracing all things strange and new. The new film Run Rabbit Run from Netflix is the newest instalment of creepy kids and the supernatural, penned by Hannah Kent and directed by Daina Reid, who has flexed her directorial muscles on projects such as The Handmaid’s Tale. The film, about a family’s tragedies and secrets, is generating controversy online (and shockingly low ratings on Rotten Tomatoes from critics at a 37% and audiences at just 23%) despite all-star performances and an ending that could leave viewers either furious or fulfilled, based on tweets and headlines. Despite entire articles, let alone choruses of viewers warning me away, I went down the rabbit hole anyhow.
We begin with Sarah (Sarah Snook) deep in a dream, remembering various unplaced moments before awaking. It’s her daughter, Mia’s birthday (Lily LaTorre) and the two are looking to celebrate. Over breakfast, they discuss her upcoming party, and mourn the loss of Mia’s grandfather. Still excited about the festivities, Sarah drops Mia at school and goes to her workplace as a fertility doctor, helping a mother to be. After work, on their way home from school, Mia suddenly asks if a Joan will be attending her party, stating she “misses her.” Clearly disturbed, Sarah she says it’s hard to miss someone you never knew, but Mia says she gets that feeling all the time. This exchange leads us to the opening credits, fading back in on a home with a garage stuffed with cardboard boxes. The garage door is mysteriously open, and shortly, Mia discovers a white rabbit sitting on their porch. She immediately falls in love.
As they enter their home, Sarah appears to have a distressing letter to attend to while she helps build a makeshift rabbit sanctuary. Pre-party, Sarah’s ex-husband arrives with his upset child; his partner Denise (Naomi Rukavina) is on the way, but in the meantime he’s worried about Sarah. He’s seen all of the boxes in the garage (a result of the lost grandparent) and hopes that she’s “coping” well, asking that she will reach out to him if anything ever gets to be too much. Over dinner, Denise is very late, and Sarah chats about the couple’s intention to have a baby, just as Denise arrives. The awkward interactions are interrupted by screaming from the children upstairs. Denise’s son has struck Mia with a toy, and Sarah’s rage is apparent, immediately scolding the child – with strange pushback from Denise and her ex, as though discipline and violence don’t matter.
The children are quieted with cake while Sarah turns to cigarettes after a long day; I can’t blame her. Sarah pulls out a birthday card, and we see that the mysterious Joan is actually Mia’s grandmother, her card hidden away by Sarah. Destined for the furnace, she lights the card on fire, disposing of it, and turns her attention to her new, unwanted pet rabbit. She tries to hoist the animal over the fence, but is bitten in the struggle, and with a glace towards the balcony, it seems Mia witnessed her mother’s intentions to rid them of the rabbit. Another disturbing dream of a woman and a rabbit awakens Sarah to Mia, standing over her bed in a pink rabbit mask she’s made, her attitude cold and unaffected as she refuses to take it off, even at school. A long day at work with a festering bite wound leads to a late pickup at school. Mia’s nowhere to be found until Sarah checks a concrete pipe, where Mia is huddled, hyperventilating in her mask. With the mask finally off at home, Sarah initially suspects bullying, as Mia is mute in the bath, until once again Mia says she misses someone. She says she misses her mother, and doesn’t mean Sarah or Denise.
I can only see potentially how the film’s runtime (which admittedly feels longer than it is), maybe a couple over-used tropes such as the ill, aging parent that sees “more,” and the movie’s twist ending being the majority cause of the backlash against this film. The back and forth of Mia declaring and Sarah denying can get tiresome towards the end, but both actors shoulder the dialogue well. Snook and LaTorre play off each other wonderfully, and this young actor wears the weight of a very grown up role well. Similarly, strong camera work and beautiful scenery do the film aesthetic favors. The shifting perspectives in the final act definitely leave the viewer with questions by the film’s end. Some questions were just too large for audiences to ignore, with plot holes and loose ends left to the viewers’ imaginations. I understand everyone’s frustration, with such a huge reveal to be left with little closure is never the most satisfying experience, especially in a thriller designed to make you ask questions.
I think Run Rabbit Run has earned a somewhat lukewarm welcome, but maybe not the all-out criticism and immediate spoilers of its unorthodox ending. I’ve seen twists before and this one doesn’t stand as the least fulfilling. With strong performances all around and a film that’s pleasurable to look at, this may not be the most unique or rewarding thriller, but I think it may have received too harsh of a public reception. I expected an all-out failure, but at least with my lowered expectations, I think I can say this was a fair watch with consistent pacing, but maybe not the intense scares or thrills you were expecting. I know I’m just another voice in the sea of many on this controversial film, and I can’t recommend this film for sure because of its deceptive nature: this movie and its media buzz are the definition of “you never know until you try.” So, if you choose, follow the white rabbit; you may be disappointed, but for those still curious about the fuss, the journey could be worth taking.
Run Rabbit Run (2023) is available now.