Name: Master
Genre: Horror, Drama, Mystery
Released: 2022-03-18T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Regina Hall, Zoë Renee, Amber Gray, Talia Ryder, Talia Balsam

The opening shot of Mariama Diallo’s Master lingers on the gnarled branches of an ancient tree at an elite New England university, its roots digging into soil steeped in history. This visual anchor immediately signals that we’re entering a story where the past is never truly buried.

Diallo’s directorial debut is a haunting exploration of identity and institutional power, wrapped in the guise of a campus horror mystery. Regina Hall delivers a career-best performance as Gail Bishop, a Black professor navigating the microaggressions and outright hostility of her new environment. Her quiet moments—like when she stares at her own reflection in a mirror that seems to distort back—are electrifying, capturing the exhaustion and frustration of being both invisible and hypervisible.

The film’s strength lies in its layered storytelling. Diallo weaves together three distinct narratives: Gail’s present-day struggle, a 19th-century subplot about an enslaved woman named Margaret (Kara Young), and a modern-day student’s (Zoë Renee) supernatural encounters. The transitions between these timelines are smooth but never seamless, creating an unsettling rhythm that mirrors the film’s themes of cyclical oppression.

The horror elements are used sparingly but effectively. A scene where Jasmine (Renee) is locked in a bathroom, her reflections multiplying and distorting, is a standout—it’s a visceral metaphor for the fragmented sense of self that comes from existing in a space designed to exclude you. The sound design amplifies this tension, with creaks, whispers, and sudden silences creating an atmosphere of dread.

However, Master stumbles when it tries to juggle too many subplots. While the historical thread adds depth, it occasionally feels like an afterthought rather than a fully integrated part of the narrative. Some of the supernatural revelations land with a thud because they’re not as well-developed as the human drama.

The performances are another highlight. Zoë Renee brings a raw vulnerability to her role as Jasmine, and Amber Gray, as Liv Beckman, adds a layer of complexity with her portrayal of a woman caught between privilege and guilt. The supporting cast, including Talia Ryder and Ella Hunt, bring depth to their roles without overshadowing the leads.

The film’s originality lies in its ability to blend genres—horror, drama, and mystery—without feeling like a pastiche. It’s a rare example of a horror film that uses its genre tropes to explore real-world issues rather than just delivering cheap scares.

But where Master falters is in its pacing. The first act is slow, almost deliberatively so, but the second act picks up speed without fully resolving the tension built in the earlier scenes. The climax, while satisfying, feels rushed and could have benefited from more nuanced character moments.

MCM Score: 6.8/10 — craft 2 / story 1.5 / performances 2 / originality 1.8 / genre_fit 1.5.