Becoming 2020 * * 1/2 Stars

Director: Omar Naim
Year: 2020
Rated NR
Rating: * * 1/2 Stars
Cast: Toby Kebbell, Jason Patric, Penelope Mitchell

"You're in danger". I believe I believe! That's the gut reaction I got from watching 2020's sullen and downtrodden, Becoming. Now is it the greatest motion picture in the world? Uh, not even close. Do you feel unsafe, glum, or unhappy while watching it? Uh yes but that doesn't make it totally recommendable. Finally, is it a low budget crux for any horror fanatic bent on having a fun beer and pizza movie night? Sort of.

Anyway, Becoming contains a kooky, Dennis Hopper-like Jason Patric, a sexy and charismatic Penelope Mitchell, a creep-o persona in Jeff Daniel Phillips, and a transforming Brit in Toby Kebbell. The film is about an Everyman who slowly gets possessed by an evil entity while going on a never-ending road trip with his young fiance.

Tension-building, ludicrous, and featuring the cops showing up at the very end (what a massive cliche), Becoming just goes off the rails despite a loose running time of 98 minutes. Shot in just one city (even though it's a cross-country affair), Becoming also reminded me of Kubrick's The Shining but with multiple, cheap hotels instead of just one big one (that would be the infamous Overlook in snowy Colorado).

Directed by a guy who hails from the capital of Jordan (Omar Naim), containing a rote flashback or two, and featuring a rather disturbing, opening scene, Becoming is a flick that suffers from severe, demon mumbo jumbo. It's mostly build-up and that build-up works for roughly the first hour. After that, Becoming just "becomes" a little tiring in its fallen angel approach. The tension builds inch by inch but you just lose interest in the characters. You finally run out of steam as a stay-at-home viewer (no true, theatrical release on Becoming at this time). Rating: 2 and a half stars.

Written by Jesse Burleson