Maika Monroe’s Underseen Body Horror Thriller Is 1 of the Best Sci-Fi Surprises of the 2020s

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Maika Monroe has become a well-known figure in modern horror, thanks to memorable performances in films like It Follows and Longlegs. These movies have been praised for their innovative approach to paranormal and thriller horror, really changing how we experience those genres. But one of her strongest, yet often overlooked, roles is in the chilling body horror thriller Significant Other.

The sci-fi horror film Significant Other is a fresh take on alien invasions, but it’s been largely ignored because it premiered on streaming instead of in theaters. While reviews are mixed, with some disagreeing on its quality, the movie deserves recognition for skillfully combining different horror subgenres into a tight and enjoyable story.

Significant Other Begins as a Survival Horror

The movie Significant Other starts with a mysterious red light falling from the sky and landing in a secluded spot. After this unsettling opening, the story unfolds much like a typical survival-horror film. It follows Ruth (Maika Monroe) and Harry (Jake Lacy) as they go on a camping trip, unaware of the danger that awaits them in the woods – a trip Harry had been wanting to take.

As the movie unfolds, little things start to creep me out, hinting that something’s hiding in the woods and will cause real trouble for Ruth and Harry. Like, they stumble upon a deer that’s been cut open and coated in this weird, black substance – it really makes you think whatever’s out there isn’t human. It got me wondering when things would shift from this tense, slow-building survival story into a full-on monster movie, honestly.

Unlike typical horror stories, Significant Other doesn’t immediately present a terrifying, inhuman monster. Initially, the story takes an unexpected turn when Ruth, who had previously turned down Harry’s proposal because of past issues and fear of commitment, surprisingly accepts his hand in marriage. However, the biggest shock comes when Ruth quickly pushes Harry to his death, seemingly driven by hidden fears about him.

The story quickly becomes more frantic as Ruth flees through the woods and is found by a couple, leaving viewers unsure what’s really happening. While earlier clues hinted at an alien invasion and a looming danger, the only act of violence so far is Ruth causing her fiancé’s death. This makes it unclear whether the film is a science fiction horror about aliens, a story about surviving a dangerous situation, or a psychological thriller exploring Ruth’s state of mind.

Significant Other’s Alien Quietly Becomes the Star

Ultimately, Significant Other blends elements of several horror types. Though it clearly signals itself as a horror film, the lead character isn’t its strongest asset. The story works well as both a psychological thriller and a survival horror, thanks to its themes and atmosphere. However, the villain is frightening and strange enough to also make it a memorable alien invasion film.

When Harry miraculously returns after falling off a cliff, Ruth realizes the man she thought was her partner is an imposter – she’d already discovered her partner’s body. Unlike some alien villains, this ‘Significant Other’ imposter isn’t overly complicated in its design. Instead, its ability to shapeshift lets the story develop naturally, without getting bogged down in extensive backstory about the creature itself.

The story does a good job of establishing the villain. Once the alien, Harry, appears, we learn his species can create a sharp, thin blade that easily cuts through anything. He kills anyone he encounters to prevent news of their arrival from spreading, buying time for the rest of his kind to invade. This immediately shows they are ruthless and don’t hesitate to kill, unlike humans who struggle with moral questions.

While the creature’s shape-shifting ability isn’t entirely new – stories about imposters are common – the way it works is unique. It has a chance to kill Ruth after she realizes it isn’t who she thought, but it can’t go through with it. This reveals that the alien doesn’t just copy a person’s appearance; it also absorbs their feelings and personality.

Significant Other’s Psychological Commentary Doesn’t Relent

From the start, the story heavily focused on the characters’ inner lives, setting the stage for what would happen throughout the film. A key moment was Ruth’s decision not to marry Harry, stemming from her personal views on marriage – this scene really highlighted the movie’s central ideas. While her initial hesitation to discuss her emotional difficulties with commitment, followed by her quick acceptance of Harry’s proposal, seemed odd, it was still a surprise when she ultimately pushed him off a cliff.

When it turned out “Harry” was actually an alien, it felt like a logical reveal, and we expected the movie to focus on a fight for survival as Ruth battled the alien. Instead, the film surprisingly stayed true to its core, exploring the psychological states of both Ruth and the alien as a central part of the story. The alien’s powers were frightening, but the connection between those powers and its emotions was even more unsettling.

The concept of a ‘Significant Other’ becomes clear when the alien, unable to harm Ruth because of its connection to Harry’s love for her, changes its approach. Instead of the kind and playful affection Harry originally showed, the alien becomes fixated on taking Ruth aboard its ship, believing it can save her from the upcoming invasion. This isn’t about protection, though – it’s about control, highlighting a damaging and unhealthy relationship dynamic.

Honestly, the alien just couldn’t bring itself to hurt Ruth, and it was clearly overwhelmed by all the human feelings swirling around. It started trying to become her, I think, hoping to figure out why it was so fixated on her. That transformation scene was incredibly powerful – it really got inside my head. It was like what happened with Harry’s love, but this time it was all of Ruth’s fears and worries the alien was taking on. And Ruth? She was brilliant. She used that against it, triggering a full-blown panic attack so she could finally break free from the woods, even though she knew a much larger alien threat was coming. It was a really clever and tense moment.

Significant Other Defies Body Horror Tropes

Significant Other isn’t a typical alien movie. While an alien is a central character alongside Ruth, the story isn’t about an invasion. The alien’s arrival and the potential for an invasion simply set the stage for the plot, rather than being the main focus.

Despite not being widely recognized, this movie is a worthwhile entry into the body horror genre, even if it doesn’t quite follow the typical formula. Body horror usually focuses on disturbing and unsettling changes to the human body, often to represent anxieties about our own biology. In Significant Other, the story uses a creature that isn’t human to explore the complicated nature of the human mind.

The film subtly shifts into a psychological thriller, heightened by the alien’s horrifying method of attack: brutally dismembering its victims before assuming their form. This reflects a deep-seated fear of losing one’s identity, as the creature steals both the body and mind of its hosts. However, the character Ruth cleverly uses her self-awareness to outsmart the alien, highlighting the idea that no one understands you better than yourself.

Stories about bodies being changed or violated, and those about alien imposters, both depend on how we understand what makes us individuals. The film Significant Other skillfully combines these two ideas, exploring the complicated psychology of people—a psychology that often drives the scares in both body horror and alien science fiction.

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2025-12-11 03:38