Writer and director Shal Ngo (The Park) has brought his latest feature film exclusively to Hulu. Control Freak tells the story of a successful motivational speaker plagued with an uncontrollable itch. As her symptoms get worse, her quest for answers will uncover her family’s dark past.

One of the most popular themes in horror films involving supernatural entities is the idea of generational trauma. Ngo explores these themes with Control Freak. When we meet Val, she is at the top of her game and about to launch an international tour. Despite her success, the stress of it all has given her a chronic itch at the back of her head, and other issues keep popping up to make her life more difficult. Having a pathological need to be in control, she tries to fix everything herself. This eventually leads her to learning more about her family history, including that of her long deceased mother and her estranged father. The more Val uncovers, the more she realizes a sinister supernatural entity from Vietnamese folklore might be the cause of all of her problems. The ensuing horrors examine how fateful events of the past impact future generations. It also shines a light on mental health and the importance of seeking help before things get out of hand. While there are plenty of similarities to other films, Ngo incorporates some new elements (particularly with the connections to Vietnamese culture) many audiences won’t be familiar with. It’s a compelling work of horror, even if the basic plot is one genre fans have seen before.

One aspect of Control Freak that will likely bring in viewers is Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Raya and the Last Dragon). It’s great to see Tran in a starring role as Val, and she masterfully brings the character to life. When the audience first meets Val, she is incredibly confident and sure of herself. As the itching and supernatural occurrences get worse, Tran at first makes subtle changes to her portrayal of Val, showing the cracks in her perfect persona. It leads to a tense climax with a performance that is both unhinged and emotional in turn. The film also features Miles Robbins (Daniel Isn’t Real, Halloween) as Val’s husband, Robby. Robby is a good husband who seems to find his wife’s self-sufficiency endearing. This quality makes Robbins’s performance shine the most when he’s concerned enough to feel that he must step in to help her.

There are three things that make Control Freak a particularly memorable watch. First, is the editing. From the moment the film begins, the audience is given a juxtaposition between videos of Val’s motivational speeches cut with close-ups of her constant scratching. This is just a taste of the editing used throughout the film to convey Val slowly losing control. Second, the sound design in Control Freak is incredibly well done. It emphasizes the things going wrong in Val’s life, making her head scratching sound like thunder, and the skittering of ants sound like an army. And finally, we have the creature design for the mythic entity known as “Sanshi.” The design is unique, horrifying, and sure to haunt the nightmares of some viewers.

While Control Freak treads familiar ground, it still manages to add something new to a tale of generational trauma by weaving Vietnamese folklore into the horrors. Ngo has a unique voice and an artistic eye that shines as he brings the story to life. Tran proves she has the range to be a leading lady, giving a stellar, layered performance. With sights and sounds meticulously working together to bring these horrors to the screen, Control Freak makes for a thrilling, anxiety-inducing viewing experience. Be sure to stream the film exclusively on Hulu beginning March 13th.

OVERALL RATING: 6/10