Sick is an artful feature that tackles the taboo (Fantastic Fest 2026)

Konrad Kakol as Maks and Katarzyna as Emma in Sick - Image courtesy of Macie J. Edelman

Writer/director Agata Trzebuchowska isn't afraid to tackle the taboo in her feature Sick. While several horror movies address fears of aging, most recently The Substance, for example, Sick is so harrowing because it addresses that fear when it's a family member, in this case the grandmother (Monika Niemczyk) of two teen siblings, Maks (Konrad Kakol) and his older sister, Emma (Katarzyna Lubik). Additionally, the film tackles desire, but between the siblings, and yes, this movie will make viewers all kinds of uncomfortable, though that doesn't detract from its artistry.

Most of the film takes place at grandmother's house, as the teens are sent to watch her for the summer. Initially, it appears like old grannie can't really get out of bed and is basically comatose, which also alarms the children because there's something uncanny about the grandmother's condition. The siblings recognize her, for sure, but she's not exactly the grandmother that they recall because her body no longer functions. However, as the movie goes on, grandmother slowly lurches back to life. She blinks. She breathes. She moves her mouth, and eventually, she fully functions and rises out of bed. There's something utterly creepy about this and her interactions with her grandchildren. If the movie has a flaw, it's that it doesn't really explore how the grandmother regains her vitality, though she's eventually depicted as monstrous. It's an undercooked element of the narrative, however.

Meanwhile, the teens are all sorts of confused regarding their feelings towards each other and desires they don't fully understand, but eventually submit to, even though they know they shouldn't, because, well, incest. This eventually leads to a conclusion and final scene that's likely to repulse some viewers. It's incredibly difficult to watch. That's all I'll say about it. Again, this film does not shy away from the taboo, not at all.

As for the mostly single location and sound design, both work well. There's something unsettling about grandmother's house, or maybe it's the simple fact that an aging and dying woman lives in it. Still, the location is used well, as is the sound design, which depicts both the desire at the heart of the movie and some of the scares, too. Further, the fact this film is set during summer means that summer will eventually wind down, and with it, the innocence and youth that the siblings had and enjoyed for so long. However, once they cross those boundaries with each other, that innocence ends and that's also reflected in the fact that summer can't last forever.

Overall, Sick is a tough move to watch. It does have strong performances from its leads and some real solid scares, but the taboo subject matter is hard to stomach, even though it's handled artfully. Trzebuchowska deserves a lot of credit for tackling such subjects in an uncompromising manner. This is definitely a polarizing movie, but a bold one.

Sick recently screened at Fantastic Fest.