Home Bodies

There’s not much subtlety in the introduction to Home Bodies. Stark images of babies, one in a blue crib and the other in a red one. Years later and they are now older but still very much children, twins Red (Emma Ho), Blue (Ian Ho).

Permanently outfitted in PJs of their designated colour, they live a life of routine in an automated house. This house however doesn’t have the appearance of the slick voiced and motion activation that is usually associated with sci-fi. It’s a used patchwork of decades, touches of 50’s art deco, though with an 80’s tv that only plays VHS tapes. A children’s puppet programme called ‘Barn,’ on repeat.

Character wise its intriguing; Blue is needier and happy to go along with the routine. That’s a tangible difference with Red who while going along with it all, is more mature espousing a tired resignation about the whole thing. The only other thing in their lives is ‘papa’ (Casey Walker). An entity represented by a door and a light to whom they must report.

Christmas is always a child’s delight. Here its Noel 42 and their present is Pal (Ess Hödlmoser) a mute bald child – maybe a few years older. Its Papa’s present with instructions to take care of it. It’s not long before Pal causes division between Red and Blue. There’s jealousy and a new VHS with barn scenes that neither Red nor Blue could ever have imagined and don’t understand.

Written and directed by Casey Walker there’s a distinct uneasiness throughout the film. It’s obvious from the start that they are in an experiment and that punishments will be meted out for transgressions. The pair have been allowed to develop mentally and physically when Papa decides that it’s time to complicate their lives and encourage them to think deeper so moving forward from their childhoods.

But Papa doesn’t seem to have allowed for freewill, and underestimated the pair’s base emotions, and how destructive these can be if unchecked. Essentially, they grow up very quickly and the entity Papa, can’t deal with it. This is symbolised by the house beginning to malfunction (or punish); water stagnates, rubbish left to accumulate and they end up eating paper.

Walker, working from a script by Adrian Murray and Marcus Sullivan, has crafted a very interesting film. It’s one easy to admire, than actually like for its ideas and execution. The twins are terrific in particular when the introduction of Pal begins to gear change their personalities.

Home Bodies had its International Premiere at Tubi London FrightFest August 2026.