Movie Review: Z-Mom (2024)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

She’s not your average soccer mom — and in Z-Mom (2024), motherhood has never been more terrifying.

Blending horror, drama, and psychological thrills, Z-Mom is a twisted ride into the fragile mind of a woman pushed to her breaking point… and maybe far beyond. Directed by indie horror darling Clara Vance, the film follows Meredith Kane (played with chilling brilliance by Elisabeth Moss), a suburban mother whose quiet, picture-perfect life is shattered after a traumatic incident leaves her husband dead and her son… different.

As strange occurrences escalate — odd behaviors, whispered voices through baby monitors, and increasingly violent visions — Meredith begins to suspect something unnatural has latched onto her son. Is it a possession? A psychological breakdown? Or something worse: the terrifying possibility that her own maternal instincts can’t be trusted?

What makes Z-Mom stand out isn’t just the scares (which are genuinely unsettling), but its emotional core. This isn’t gore for the sake of it — it’s a disturbing meditation on grief, guilt, and the unbearable weight of parenthood. The tension builds slowly, masterfully, until the final act explodes in a sequence that’s as emotionally devastating as it is horrifying.

Visually, the film is dripping with dread. Muted colors, claustrophobic camera work, and a skin-crawling score by Trent Blake all contribute to a sense of slow-burning panic. Moss delivers a powerhouse performance, shifting between tender, tormented, and terrifying — sometimes in the same scene.

If you’re a fan of horror that actually makes you feel something — think Hereditary meets The Babadook — Z-Mom is a must-watch. Just… maybe don’t watch it alone. Or near any baby monitors.