Clock held my interest, even though its indecisiveness towards where it wants to fall in the horror/thriller genre is discouraging.

Writer/director Alexis Jacknow instantly reaches for relatable material to set up his story.  Ella (Shiva Baby’s Dianna Agron) seems as if she has it all, including a devoted significant other (Jay Ali) who is on the same page as her when it comes to having children.  However, Ella becomes worried when discussions about pregnancies and parenthood (including pressures from her father) don’t pique her curiousities;  suggesting to her that she may be faced with a “broken” biological clock.  She’s recommended to enrol in a study created by a renowned doctor (Melora Hardin of The Office US).  Agron, who continues to choose challenging indie work after her mainstream role on TV’s Glee, adds another strong performance to her catalogue.  And, Hardin adds additional enigmatic creepiness to a story that stacks plenty of questions for the audience to figure out.

Once the film turns it’s focus on the experiment, Jacknow toggles the atmosphere between different types of horror.  This makes the movie’s mystery that much more unpredictable but, unlike similar recent thriller False Positive, this constant shifting doesn’t ground Clock very well.  One moment, it’s a body horror;  and half-an-hour later, it’s a creature feature.  When Clock finally chooses to be a psychological horror with notes of gruesome effects, the viewer feels at ease for the film’s satisfying albeit over-the-top final stretch.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie