Horror and suspense movies have certainly gotten plenty of mileage out of eerie children with powers. You could probably list several films off the top of your head that have leaned heavily into this now common horror movie device. The sci-fi psychological thriller “Prodigy” joins the long list of movies who use creepy kids to unsettle their audiences.
While the idea is familiar, “Prodigy” works because of a key decision by co-writers and co-directors Alex Haughey and Brian Vidal. They place an unexpectedly heavy emphasis on human interactions, namely between child psychologist Dr. Fonda (Richard Neil) and 9-year-old Ellie (Savannah Liles). The film’s miniscule budget may play a role, but ultimately it’s this tighter more character-driven focus that makes this a success.
Dr. Fonda is summoned to a high-security facility by an old college friend Agent Olivia Price (Jolene Andersen). Once there he learns of Ellie, a supernaturally gifted young girl with a supreme intellect and a violent past. Ellie’s perceived sociopathic personality has led to her be deemed too big of a threat. She is scheduled to be executed and dissected for study. Despite the cynicism of her colleagues Olivia still has hope for the Ellie and Dr. Fonda is her last resort.
Haughey and Vidal boil up a good amount of tension as Fonda tries to break through Ellie’s cast iron exterior to find the humanity in the ‘monster’. Ellie expects the same contentious back-and-forth as with other doctors she has mentally chewed up and spat out. But Dr. Fonda throws her off with his open mind and unwillingness to judge her based on a case file. The cold and disconcerting Ellie is hesitant and confrontational. But if Fonda can break through he may just save her life.
We get a handful of supporting characters who are all convinced pulling the plug is the right move. None believe the unkept and unconventional Dr. Fonda can make a dent in Ellie’s tough psyche. This is also where the movie’s biggest weaknesses shows through. Outside of Olivia none of the supporting characters have any depth whatsoever. Most are caricatures rather than authentic and interesting, not to mention a couple of the performances are pretty rough. It brings things down a notch.
“Prodigy” still manages to be a thoughtful and suspenseful thriller and does so despite its small scale and even smaller budget. I mean practically the entire film takes place in two rooms. But that shouldn’t scare you away. It manages its strengths well plus it features an outstanding performance from young Savannah Liles. Give it a look.
VERDICT – 3.5 STARS
Keith & the Movies 
Well, you’ve sold me! I haven’t even heard of this. I love new discoveries.
It’s an intriguing watch and a satisfying Netflix Original. Just don’t go in expecting something magnificent. It’s a small scale and small budget thriller but one that is kind of fascinating. Tell me what you think.
Have you seen the official trailer for Captain Marvel?
I have a long-standing view of psychiatry as a combination of bad metaphysics, and show business (psychotherapy was written off a long time ago). Still, some insights must have been acquired pragmatically, despite its basis in pseudoscientific conjectures. And real science seems to be creeping in at the edges. But you will find the hero of the film reprised again and again as the same deeply empathetic, and omniscient stereotype, who always finds the key to salvation. For instance, try Suddenly Last Summer, or Ordinary People, in which a suicidal teen calls his shrink at 1 am (or so) to say his goodbyes, and is instantly instructed to rendezvous at said shrink’s dumpy but homey office. And, of course, and as always, he regresses him to that One Traumatic Experience, and exorcises it (as does an endearing Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting); these guys are EVERYPLACE). Setting aside that cultish view, and the deadly powers it confers upon those who should have never have been trusted with them, I will permit this latest edition to actually be those things. That said, and despite the limp characters included in it, I will also permit the well written and performed relationship between this latest twosome to offset that, and accord it a 3.5, that does its best to break through to a 4.0, and misses. As a hardcore fan of scifi, I find myself revisiting Prodigy for the sake of its most dramatic and attracting scenes.
Thanks for the comments which happen to come at an interesting time. This movie has been on my mind recently and I’ve been considering a rewatch.
Hey Keith — My name is Alex Haughey, and I am one of the director’s of Prodigy, and I have a new movie releasing next month. I really appreciated your review of Prodigy and would love to have you look at my new film. Please shoot me an email at undertheinfluencerfilm@gmail if you are interested. Thanks.