Movie Review: TIGER STRIPES (2023)

TIGER STRIPES 
Written & Directed by:   Amanda Nell Eu

  After seeing the trailer for TIGER STRIPES, I was very intrigued.   It didn't really look like a horror film, but IMDb list it as Horror/Body Horror.  I decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did.   Here is a brief synopsis from the film's press release:

The first amongst her friends to hit puberty, Zaffan, 12, discovers a terrifying secret about her body. Ostracised by her community, Zaffan fights back, learning that to be free she must embrace the body she feared, emerging as a proud, strong woman.

  The first thing I thought of while watching this film, was that is it reminded me of a Malaysian version of CARRIE.   The focus of the film is on Zaffan and her changing body as she is the first among her friends to go through puberty.   While Carrie went through changes and lashed out with her telekinetic powers, Zaffan lashes out in a more primal, animalistic way.   While the changes are subtle at first, they begin to slowly increase and cause visible physical changes, ranging from scars all over her body to whiskers and even a tail!   To be honest, the transformation is not the focus of the film like you might expect from a Horror film.   I feel like the focus is more on the social dynamics with her friends and family, and the changes her relationships with them go through.  That is the real transformation of TIGER STRIPES. 

 Although listed as a Horror film, it is not true horror like you might be used to reading about on the 4H blog.   This is more of a dark drama with Horror elements throughout.    There is little to no gore, except for one scene where the Doctor that is trying to heal Zaffan makes her mad, and finds out the hard way what she is capable of when she is angry.    Please note, there is a bit of animal mutilation and death in this film, which I know some people are sensitive to.   It's not done in a explotive way, though, and is obviously fake/special effects. 

  The acting in this film is superb, especially from young star Zafreen Zairizal who plays Zaffan.  The film is shot very well also, with a beautiful backdrop courtesy of the Malaysian terrain. 

  TIGER STRIPES was the 2023 Cannes Film Festival Critic's Week Grand Prize Winner and is in select theaters now, and will be streaming VOD on July 9th!