Max Minghella’s sophomore feature Shell premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and while it boasts an intriguing premise and a stacked cast, the film ultimately fails to fully deliver on its promise. Shell aims to be a biting satire of Hollywood’s obsession with youth and beauty, with a healthy dose of body horror thrown in for good measure, but the final product feels disjointed and lacks the bite needed to make its message truly resonate.
The film follows Samantha Lake (Elisabeth Moss), a struggling actress in her mid-30s who fears her career is already on the decline due to her age. Desperate for a break, she turns to a mysterious wellness company called Shell and its charismatic CEO, Zoe Shannon (Kate Hudson). Shell promises a revolutionary anti-aging treatment that will transform Samantha’s life, and initially, it seems to work wonders. Samantha’s career begins to take off, and she forms a close bond with Zoe, who takes her under her wing.
However, as Samantha delves deeper into the world of Shell, she begins to uncover the company’s dark secrets. Patients start to go missing, and Samantha realizes that the miraculous treatment may come at a terrible cost. As more is slowly revealed, she finds herself in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Zoe, who will stop at nothing to protect Shell’s sinister agenda.
Before I go any further, I have to say I love the way Minghella’s direction is stylish and visually striking, with a retro-futuristic aesthetic that lends Shell a distinct look. The production design is a highlight, creating a world that feels both glamorous and unsettling. Moss and Hudson both deliver strong performances, with Moss showcasing her comedic chops and Hudson revelling in her role as the villainous Zoe. The supporting cast is equally impressive, featuring the likes of Kaia Gerber, Arian Moayed, and Amy Landecker.
Despite these strengths, Shell almost completely falls apart once the film crosses the halfway point. While it starts out strong, it somehow loses all sense of momentum, and the pacing becomes completely uneven. It feels like two movies smashed together, resulting in a mess that is even more disappointing due to its uneven nature. The beginning moves slowly, providing a sense of the world and the characters, but the mystery and horror elements are almost entirely absent. By the time the body horror elements kick in, the film seems hesitant to fully commit to them, pulling its punches when it should be leaning into the gore and grotesquerie.
“I have to say I love the way Minghella’s direction is stylish and visually striking, with a retro-futuristic aesthetic that lends Shell a distinct look.”
As much as it sets up some solid points early on, in the end, the satirical elements simply don’t land as intended. While there are some clever jabs at the superficiality of Hollywood and the lengths people will go to maintain their youth, the commentary feels surface-level. It lacks the sharpness needed to make a lasting impact. The film’s attempts at humour are hit-or-miss, with some genuine laughs but also stretches where the jokes fall flat. Much like the horror aspects, the film pulls too many punches to be memorable, leaving something that feels flat and lifeless.
While most of the film is uneven, the third act is where Shell truly starts to unravel. The climax feels rushed and anticlimactic, failing to deliver the big reveal or satisfying confrontation the film had been building towards. Plot threads are left dangling, and character motivations become muddled. It’s a disappointing conclusion to a film that had a lot of potential but never quite figured out what it wanted to be. That’s not even touching on the major reveal at the end, which, while it could have been impactful, simply feels silly and dumb, undermining the emotional impact it could have had on the audience.
With the cast, concept, and ideas behind the film, Shell is the epitome of a wasted opportunity. It’s a visually arresting film with a talented cast and some interesting ideas, but it never fully gels into a cohesive whole. Shell is a film that aims high but doesn’t quite stick the landing, resulting in a mildly entertaining but ultimately forgettable experience.
