Horror Movie Review: It’s Coming (2023)

Directed by Shannon Alexander, It’s Coming is a unique entry in the documentary subgenre of horror as it is a true-life story. Not a ‘based on a true story’ either. Which made for an immediate compelling watch.

I was intrigued, but unconvinced. After all, it’s not like other creators have taken liberties with the truth, but the fact that the truth isn’t always interesting couldn’t be ignored either. Putting it simply, It’s Coming had a bit of an uphill battle to begin with, something not helped by the fact that I am not a believer in the supernatural. So, with that being said, it’s even more impressive that it delivered on its promises, and then some.

In fact, so convincing was it, that I had to watch it twice before I wrote a single word of this review. Simply because a second watch, where I understood the nature of the film better, meant I could really let my mind sink into the story and appreciate the nuances of it all. It wasn’t necessarily scarier on a second watch, but it did leave me more troubled.

The documentary surrounds Ashley Roland-White, a thirty-ish mother of five children, who has been seeing and dealing with supernatural entities ever since she was a young girl. So common are these experiences, that her discussions about them come with a frankness that is somewhat frightening to witness. She is used to it, able to take it all in her stride, and unconcerned about convincing the viewer of her truth.

That is where Shannon Alexander comes in, behind the camera and eager to engage with Ashley about her experiences .Neither here to prove or disprove anything, just to let the story be told.

However, it’s not just about Ashley as the documentary also focuses on her children and their experiences with the supernatural. One, her son Javier, has been interacting with a spirit (he names the spirit Kitty) and it’s having an interesting effect on him. Something that worries Ashley so she sets out to see if she can rid her family of these spirits once and for all.

That’s a summation of the story, with the bulk focusing on the family dynamic in their Brooklyn apartment. Something that helps make the family more real, solidify their personalities, and show just how challenging a situation it is. Delivered with unflinching honesty, but also respectfully as we, the viewer, intrude upon their lives. They are normal people, and for the most part, living normal lives.

Which, admittedly, doesn’t always make for the most exciting of watches, especially as it’s not always clear just what the point of it all is. But it is real, and Alexander tries to keep the story focused and tight.

But what about the scares? It’s Coming isn’t awash with frights, especially the jump scare kind, but it is awash with atmosphere and tension. There’s a heavy sense of oppression that surrounds the family, and no matter now candidly they might speak about it, there is a feeling of fear underneath everything. Something that grows when the threat starts to become more prevalent because of the children’s interactions with the supernatural.

To be honest, the matter-of-fact way that the family just deals with this stuff is scary. To them, it’s so normal and no-one portrays this better than young Javier. Who has some of the documentary’s most disconcerting moments, especially when Ashley begins to get in between him and Kitty. Though, if you’re after more traditional scares, you best look elsewhere.

It’s not an experience that I think is for everyone, especially those hoping for something that definitively falls on one side or the other as far as paranormal events go. That was never the point. This is Ashley Roland-White and her families’ story about living with spirits, as told through the camera lens of the talented Shannon Alexander. An intriguing idea that delivers on its promises, leaving a troubling sense of satisfaction come the end.