The Cleanse

I was really impressed with this movie with the way that it navigates a bunch of different kinds of genres in a tricky way, 'cause it is a low-key comedy for a while, but then it becomes a sci-fi film and a legit horror film.

"The Cleanse" embarks on an allegorical journey with only the vaguest notion of a destination. As a result, the movie feels frustratingly repetitive - a single joke repeated ad nauseam.

Although it may evoke such films as "Gremlins" and "The Lobster," as well as David Cronenberg's earlier work, writer-director Bobby Miller's oozy, eerie, yet weirdly soulful yarn feels like an original.

During the brief 81-minute runtime, the characters barely grow or change - or even find much definition - while the audience is left wondering about the origins of the cleanse program.