It wasn’t cliche and I didn’t see the story coming. Its atmosphere culminated a sense of dread I haven’t felt in a movie in a long time. The whole vibe was harrowing. It being made as an independent film and then later picked up for major distribution definitely did it some favors as the director was clearly not constrained to follow standard tropes and cliches.
Agreed. There are certain images in the movie that just really stick with you. No other way to put it for me other than it has really stuck with me in a haunting way.
This. And the way the music suddenly gets all ethereal and soothing at the end during the most fucked up part of the movie is beyond twisted and I loved it.