Run Rabbit Run - A Netflix Movie Review

That rabbit has been suspicious ever since we found him.

Leaping out of the rabbit hole and onto Netflix in 2023, Run Rabbit Run is about a mother grappling with her young daughter’s unsettling behavior. Sarah must confront ghosts of the past if she’s going to find out any answers.

I watched Run Rabbit Run in its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. I decided to wait to review it because I needed clarification on what it was about and how to interpret it. Recently, I watched it again on Netflix, and like my initial thoughts, Run Rabbit Run doesn’t have a clear interpretation as to what it’s about.

Sarah Snook is the best part of the film. Having to remain panicked for most of the story, Snook incorporated effective facial reactions. She has a lot of stress in her life. The narrative should have focused on Sarah’s past more because there is a deep angle.

Having a difficult time with her daughter, I like how Sarah always makes amends instead of letting the situation remain as it is. In her film debut, Lily Latorre was excellent as Mia. I am impressed with her hard work. Snook and Latore had great interactions in the film’s heavy subject matter.

Here’s where the story veers down the wrong rabbit hole. First, Mia had behavioral issues until Sarah shows psychological issues reminiscent of a mental breakdown. I also thought a ghost took over Mia which was the reason behind her strange behavior.

We deserved more time to explore Sarah’s past. The nature of her past was left too ambiguous. What was her relationship with her deceased sister, Alice like? Did she always have a troubled relationship with her mother? If flashback scenes are any indication, is Alice back to haunt her sister out of revenge?

There are so many questions about the film but none of them are answered. Run Rabbit Run tries to juggle multiple storylines, blurring the lines between a ghost story, a child's psychological problems, and a mother's meltdown. This lack of clarity fails to establish a cohesive and satisfying narrative arc.

I love horror movies. When I watched this film back in January, it was the first horror film I had watched since October. I jumped a couple of times. The film has an eerie atmosphere. Objects or ghosts loom in the background. I don’t know if it was intentional but when a character said the word ‘ghost’ the curtain lightly brushes open. Instant chills!

There’s so much about this film that is disturbing. The mother and daughter are constantly fighting or running from something. I was disturbed by the complex events. For some people, trauma is difficult to deal with. This is a film that opens up conversations about trauma.

Daina Reid made Run Rabbit Run a terrain to talk about anxieties. Motherhood is the center focus showing its positive and negative effects. During its premiere, disagreements about motherhood were evaluated by the director and the audience attending. Reid was open-minded leaving the discussion about what we want to view and not view.

Let this review be a lesson that sometimes you need to wait. You cannot watch films just once. Reviewing a movie to interpret it takes several tries before you can write a satisfying review. I am glad that I waited to review the film to let my interpretations of the film simmer.

Run Rabbit Run is now streaming on Netflix. Amidst its pacing issues, it’s a film that’s worth looking into it. There’s a lot to analyze regarding its nature.