THE FLIP SIDE

Theo, reeling from his best friend Evan’s recent death from cancer, finds the world literally flipped upside down.

Amid the chaos of a topsy-turvy world, with his phone battery at 1%, Theo receives a mysterious warning text: “Don’t let it in.” He’s utterly alone until he finds Emma, a fellow survivor who’s living with multiple mental and physical health diagnoses. She’s named this world, where she’s been isolated for a long time, the Flip Side. Emma is determined to help Theo escape from the monster that’s chasing them. She asserts that “the only way to survive is to give up hope,” but nevertheless, the young people’s friendship brings hope to them both. The Flip Side is a truly sinister place, with labyrinthine cityscapes and apocalyptic colors. Details, such as the grotesque body of the shape-shifting monster, which is born of negative emotions, effectively convey the nightmarish tone, and bold black lines enhance the well-paced action. The intriguing premise and striking visual representation convey lessons about depression and grief. Evan, who appears in flashback scenes, feels less like his own person than an impetus for Theo’s growth, however. Elements such as the struggle for people to acknowledge grief over a friend and Theo’s relationship with Emma (who has a difficult personality and problems too profound for him to understand) add interest. Theo is cued Latine, Emma reads white, and Evan has brown skin and Afro-textured hair.

Imaginative horror meets honesty about emotional pain.