My favorite kind of horror movies are the ones where the terrors onscreen are a vehicle for the larger themes and ideas the film is exploring. Horror movies in 2025 have been filled with plenty of thrilling, expressive stories exploring grief, family, trauma, and numerous other ideas. Somnium is no different, but presents a unique story with a deeper focus entirely its own.

Somnium follows Gemma (Chloë Levine), a down-on-her-luck aspiring actor who is doing everything she can to land a role, despite economic and social difficulties. Her move from a small town in Georgia to Los Angeles has left her seeking work between auditions. This is where she discovers Somnium, an experimental organization run by three people studying dreams.

Gemma’s job is simple: come in at night, watch the cameras, and make sure all operations are running smoothly. But what makes the film so unique is that this classic horror movie setup isn’t the full focus. Instead, her attempts at landing a role while struggling financially and emotionally are the core tenants of the film. It makes the exploration of the terrors that unfold all the stronger, especially because of the unorthodox way they’re portrayed.

Somnium Is More Symbolic Than Scary & It Works

Perhaps it’s because I’ve seen numerous horror movies already this year, from the impressive It Feeds to the lackluster Push, but I wasn’t too scared by the slow-burn terrors of Somnium. The film does a phenomenal job laying the groundwork for what’s going on as the bigger implications of the group’s work is explored. However, none of it feels personally connected to Gemma at the start outside a few cryptic scenes.

Instead, the film’s initial focus of her trying to achieve a career in acting remains its primary lens. Her struggles to achieve her metaphorical dreams weave into the story of the real dreams Somnium is studying. Their experiments also have important ties to the idea of dreams as events and dreams as ideas being similar. It’s a thoughtful approach that uses horror movie motifs to explore an almost philosophical notion of what a “dream” really is.

This is elevated by flashbacks to Gemma’s life in Georgia, particularly detailing her relationship with her crush, Hunter (Peter Vack). Their interactions with one another feel realistic while still being important facets of the larger themes at work. Seeing how her story back home played out only serves to emphasize the reasons she’s trying to become an actor, while coalescing with the hardships she faces.

The past and present’s evaluation of dreams is made all the better thanks to strong performances. While everyone does a great job in their roles, it’s really Levine’s Gemma that truly brings the movie together. The mounting desperation of her attempts to become an actor coupled with the mysterious events at Somnium showcase her slow evolution throughout the movie. It’s a captivating performance that strengthens her characterization and its meaning within the larger story.

As for everyone else, their performances service the story well, with the standout ones being Vack’s Hunter in the flashbacks and Will Pletz’s Noah, Gemma’s co-worker who shows her the ropes at her overnight position. Not only are both perfect for the roles they’re cast in, but their interactions with the desperate actor-to-be elevates her story as well, weaving into her life just as much as the terror of the tangible and intangible.

Somnium Plays To Its Character-Driven Strengths

All the performances, especially from Levine, Pletz, and Vack, emphasize how Somnium is a character-driven narrative. The terrifying elements of the movie have a decidedly human feel to them, particularly because of how they intersect with the larger story being told. The terrors encountered have a meaning that was instantly obvious to me, and the film spends time exploring what these mean not just physically, but mentally too.

The only drawback this has is an occasional feeling that the movie is stuck in a spiral. While this benefits the progression of Gemma’s character as the film’s events unfold, they can also feel somewhat circular in presentation. Luckily, it’s never a drag, always adding elements to its story progression that build upon Gemma’s anxiety over the path her dream has taken her on.

The horror elements of Somnium are not as powerful as other movies that have come out this year. But, with a strong, character-focused story and interesting, symbolic elements that tie into its fearful moments, the movie offers a balancing act of commentary about the struggle of dreams. Aided by the lens of an industry so few make it through unscathed, the film sends potent messages about perception of one’s reality and how dreams, tangible or not, can impact their experiences.

Somnium is now available to buy and rent on digital.